Organic Bytes
Newsletter #880: Glyphosate Harms Infants’ Health!
 

MILLIONS AGAINST MONSANTO

New Research: Glyphosate Significantly Harms Infants’ Health

Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know:

“Glyphosate, a synthetic herbicide best known as the active ingredient in Roundup®, has significantly harmed the health of babies in rural U.S. communities over the last two decades—especially those already at risk of poor birth outcomes, new research shows.

The study indicates exposure to glyphosate, at the mean level of 2012 intensity:

* Reduced average birth weight by 29.8 grams (about .07 pounds)

* Shortened pregnancy by 1.49 days

* Increased the chances of low birth weight by 0.65%, very low birth weight by 0.20%, and preterm birth by 2.14%

‘Together, these results indicate that even at the mean level of intensity in the United States, glyphosate exposure significantly deteriorates infant health,’ say co-authors Emmett Reynier and Edward Rubin, whose work appears January 21 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). “Our findings, combined with other recent work, challenge the prevailing regulatory position that GM crops and their associated agricultural practices are safe—and even beneficial—for health.”



Learn more about mounting evidence of glyphosate’s harms

Glyphosate was found in 99 percent of pregnant Midwestern women. Higher maternal glyphosate levels in the first trimester were associated with lower birth weights and higher NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) admissions.

The good news is that glyphosate isn’t a forever chemical and it can be removed from the body.

Glyphosate drops 70 percent after six days on an organic diet.

Around the world and across the U.S., legislators are taking action to protect their citizens. So far, five states are considering bills to ban glyphosate. Will yours be next?

TAKE ACTION: Make Your State the First to Ban Monsanto’s Roundup Weedkiller!

ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE

‘Virtually Any City on Earth Can Burn Now’

Kiley Bense of Inside Climate News speaks with journalist, John Vaillant:

“When you have these mass conflagrations, which are much more common now, where you have hundreds, if not thousands, of houses burning, then you have in the air this kind of aerosol gas mix, not just of particulate wood smoke, but all the chemicals in the modern house. You have to go back to events like 9/11, where the first responders there have been coming down with all kinds of weird ailments, because so much was released that was inhaled by first responders. It’s one of the things that is going to be a legacy of this fire.

BENSE: In ‘Fire Weather,’ you describe an experiment where they burned a room full of wooden furniture and then they burned a room of modern synthetic furniture, to show how much more quickly it burned. All of that plastic literally adds fuel to the fire, and it’s toxic in a way that burning wood just isn’t.

VAILLANT: That’s just such a graphic illustration of how the petroleum industry has integrated itself so thoroughly into our lives. We’re people of the hydrocarbon. I’m walking around my bedroom right now, and there’s so many plastic and laminated products just in this bedroom. It’s quite an explosively flammable place, and yet, you would never know it, because these products have been sold to us as being safe and stable. And normally, we don’t have catastrophic conflagrations whipping through our neighborhoods. But that was 10 years ago. We’re losing our innocence fast.”



Learn more about why the old rules for wildfires no longer apply

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

Save Mexico’s Tortillas From GM Corn: Show Your Support

Timothy A. Wise, author, Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers and the Battle for the Future of Food:

“In light of the December 20 ruling of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) tribunal in favor of the United States and Canada and against Mexico in the dispute over genetically engineered (GMO) corn, the individuals and organizations below express our outrage.

The decision undermines Mexico’s food sovereignty. Mexico’s democratically elected government should have the right to take measures to protect its people, local farmers, economic development, and the environment from the risks posed by GMO corn imported from the United States. 

We stand with Mexico in its defense of food sovereignty, public health, environmental integrity, and indigenous rights. We reject the illegitimate use of a trade agreement to undermine those goals. As the Mexican coalition Sin Maiz No Hay Pais (Without Corn There is No Country) states:

‘A trade panel has neither the legitimacy nor the capacity to evaluate the measures adopted by a country to protect the health of its population, preserve its biocultural wealth, and safeguard the genetic reservoir of a crop that, due to its production volume and diversity of uses, is the most important in the world. Therefore, under no circumstances can a trade agreement be above Mexico’s sovereignty.’”

Please add your name and/or organization before January 30 and send a message that the U.S. and Canada cannot force Mexicans to eat GM tortillas

HEALTH

Is Organic Milk Really Better for You?

By Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, LD, Health:

“There are many different kinds of milk to choose from, but the high cost of organic milk may make you wonder whether it’s worth the investment.

Organic milk differs from conventional cow’s milk in its nutrient profile and farming practices. To be labeled organic, milk must come from cows raised on a certified organic farm under strict farming standards.

These regulations include feeding the livestock 100% organic feed products, allowing them access to outdoor pastures year-round, and providing preventative management practices to keep them healthy. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also prohibits using antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, or preservatives in organic dairy farming.

Benefits of Organic Milk:

* Improved Fatty Acid Profile

* Low Levels of Chemical Residues

* Rich Nutritional Profile

* Smaller Environmental Footprint”

Read about all of these topics and why you should choose milk with fat

A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

From Farm to Health — A Vision for Regenerative Agriculture and Metabolic Wellness

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola:

“STORY-AT-A-GLANCE

* Ashley Armstrong, co-founder of Angel Acres Egg Co., shifted from fitness coaching to health advocacy after discovering the connection between dietary choices and autoimmune issues

* Adequate carbohydrate intake — approximately 250 grams daily — is necessary for metabolic health, while low-carb diets increase cortisol and disrupt thyroid function

* Body temperature measurements three times daily provide a better indicator of metabolic health than conventional blood work, with 98.6 degrees F midday indicating normal function

* Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and phytoestrogens in modern diets interfere with thyroid function and estrogen detoxification, leading to metabolic disruptions

* Armstrong promotes regenerative farming practices, producing low-PUFA eggs and freeze-dried egg yolks while advocating for sustainable agriculture over conventional farming methods”

Learn more

SUPPORT OCA & RI

Help Us Take Down Roundup and Glyphosate

For decades, Monsanto’s Roundup and its active ingredient, glyphosate, have contaminated our food, water, and soil. The science is clear: glyphosate is a probable human carcinogen, and exposure has been linked to serious health problems.

We can’t take on Bayer/Monsanto and the toxic pesticide industry alone. With your help, and the help of our allies worldwide, we can take on Bayer/Monsanto and the toxic pesticide industry together.

Your donation to Organic Consumers Association will help us:

– Support grassroots activism to ban Roundup and glyphosate

– Advocate for policy changes that prioritize organic, regenerative farming

– Educate and empower millions of consumers to make informed choices about the food they eat and the products they use

– Provide opportunities for citizens to make their voices heard by contacting lawmakers and demanding action to protect public health and the environment

We’ll spread the word through social media, online campaigns, and newsletter outreach, ensuring that everyone knows the truth about Roundup and glyphosate. Every dollar counts in our fight against Bayer/Monsanto and the toxic pesticide industry.

Can you make a donation today to help us work towards a healthier, more organic and regenerative food system for all?

Make a tax-deductible donation to Organic Consumers Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Make a tax-deductible donation to Regeneration International, our international sister organization

Make a lasting impact through monthly giving, stock donations, planned giving, and IRA charitable distributions

REVEGETATION

Yurok Tribe Lays 11,500 Pounds of Native Plant Seeds Along Free-Flowing Klamath River

Active NorCal reports:

“The Yurok Fisheries Department has completed a major milestone in the restoration of the Klamath River ecosystem. Following the removal of dams along a 38-mile stretch of the river, the department’s Revegetation crew recently hand-sowed 11,500 pounds of native plant seeds between the former Iron Gate Dam and JC Boyle Reservoir.

The seeds included a diverse mix of native grasses, herbs, and forbs that historically thrived in the area.

As part of this ambitious restoration project, the crew will plant 21,000 white oak acorns and 108,000 native trees and shrubs in the coming months. Since the project began, the team has planted approximately 76,000 trees, shrubs, and grass plugs, 28,000 acorns, and 4,200 milkweed starts. Wildflowers, pine saplings, and baby oaks are already thriving in the post-dam environment.”

Read about how the project aims to restore 2,200 acres of land along the Klamath River, creating a biodiverse ecosystem that supports salmon, steelhead, lamprey, and 250 other wildlife species

AGRICULTURE

Immigrant Farmworkers Across U.S. Are Scrambling To Safeguard Their Families

Michelly Teixeira, The Latin Times:

“Immigrant farmworkers across the United States are scrambling to safeguard their families ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to carry out the ‘largest deportation in U.S. history.’ Legal aid groups report a surge in demand for services as workers prepare for the worst, including designating temporary guardians for their children, ensuring access to wages, and securing travel permissions for their families in case of deportation.

The U.S. agricultural sector heavily depends on immigrant labor, with the Department of Agriculture estimating that about half of hired farmworkers lack legal status. According to the federal agency, immigrants account for two-thirds of the nation’s crop farmworkers, with two out of five lacking legal authorization to work in the country.

Trade groups warn that large-scale deportations could disrupt food production, as California alone relies on undocumented workers for 75% of its farm labor, according to the University of California-Merced. Labor shortages could not only disrupt the agricultural supply chain, but could also lead to higher food prices and increased reliance on imports, experts warn.”

Read how the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is gearing up to challenge state laws that could facilitate mass deportations

REGENERATION INTERNATIONAL

Certificate Course on Agroecological, Regenerative and Organic Agriculture

South Seas University, in partnership with Regeneration International, present a 5-week On-Line via Zoom Certificate Course on Agroecological, Regenerative, and
Organic Agriculture from February 17 – March 18, 2025.

Join Dr. André Leu, International Director of Regeneration International, for a comprehensive 5-lesson certificate course on Agroecological, Regenerative, and Organic Agriculture (AROA). This course will delve into the principles and practices of regenerative agriculture, providing students with a holistic understanding of how to design and manage regenerative farming systems.

Through this course, students will explore key topics such as:

– Maximizing photosynthesis for optimal crop growth

– Managing soil health and nutrition for regenerative organic agriculture

– Using functional biodiversity to manage pests and diseases

– Implementing regenerative practices in real-world farming systems

By the end of this course, students will have gained a deep understanding of regenerative agriculture and will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to apply regenerative farming practices. Earn a certificate and join the global community of regenerative agriculture practitioners.

Learn more and register today

NEW RESEARCH

Big Impacts From Small-Scale Fisheries

By Josie Garthwaite, Stanford University:

“New research shows small-scale fisheries make outsized contributions to economies, diets, and societies around the world. Relying on relatively low-tech and labor-intensive methods, small-scale fisheries contribute 40% of the global catch, according to the Jan. 15 study in Nature.

‘It just takes spending a little bit of time at places of high biological value in the ocean, on rivers or lakes to realize that small-scale fishers are key for the sustainability of those places. Fishers and their family have been living there sometimes for generations. Sometimes they have been the original inhabitants and sometimes their activities are very much interwoven with the ecology and biology and culture of the region. Engagement with them is key toward building sustainable solutions that are beneficial for people and the environment.

Small-scale fisheries are a fascinating example of self-organization, because they usually exist away from central governments, and I have been interested for a long time on how rural societies develop self-governance mechanisms, particularly to govern complex adaptive systems like the ocean.’”

—Xavier Basurto, Stanford School of Sustainability

Learn how small-scale fisheries have to do with gender equity and much more