This online version is an abridged compilation of the printed version of Fort Fairfield Journal, available in stores, now.  Pick up a copy, or subscribe for all the local & national news, FFMHS sports, obituaries, FFPD police log and more.

 

Selected Editorials from the Editor

Suns & Shields Christian Inspirational Writings by Rachelle Hamlin

Selected editorials from Dr. Katherine Albrecht, Ed. D.

_______________________________

The Roberts Trap is Sprung

By:  Bill Dunne
www.americanthinker.com
One of the most overlooked aspects of the year just ended is the vindication of Chief Justice John Roberts -- a vindication that showed up as the national catastrophe known as ObamaCare got rolling.  Roberts may have also doomed Hillary Clinton's chance to live in the White House again... click here to read whole editorial

 

Maine the Second State to Pass GMO Food Labeling Law

Joins with Connecticut, Must Wait for Three More States Before it’s Activated

By:  David Deschesne

Fort Fairfield Journal, January 22, 2014

 

AUGUSTA, Maine—Maine consumers are one step closer to learning which of the foods they shop for are polluted with toxic, genetically modified organisms (GMO) with a new law recently signed by Governor Paul LePage.

   LD 718, once it is enacted by a threshold of at least four other states in the New England region also enacting similar legislation, seeks to “promote food safety and protect public health by enabling consumers to avoid the potential risks associated with genetically engineered foods and serve as a risk management tool enabling consumers, physicians and scientists to identify unintended health effects resulting from the consumption of genetically engineered foods;  reduce and prevent consumer confusion and inadvertent deception and promote the disclosure of factual information on food labels to allow consumers to make informed decisions;  create additional market opportunities for those producers who are not certified organic producers and whose products are not produced using genetic engineering and enable consumers to make informed purchasing decisions; and ensure consumers are provided with data from which they may make informed decisions for personal, religious, moral, cultural or ethical reasons.”

   The bill, while at first sight appearing good for the consumer, originally had seed stock in its language, along with food, but that was taken out with a subsequent amendment.

   GMO, or genetically modified food, has not been proven safe for human consumption, but has been allowed into the food chain by extremely effective multi-million dollar lobbying efforts put forth by GMO industry giant, Monsanto, along with others interested in tainting the food supply with pseudo-science crops. 

   One popular Monsanto GMO product is corn and soybean that has been modified to have Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) as part of its cell structure.  Bt acts as an internal pesticide that is grown in the corn and soybean which produces a protein that ruptures the stomach when ingested by insects. This protein has been linked to Crone’s disease in humans, especially those who eat a lot of GMO corn or products such as corn chips, or corn-based processed foods containing GMO corn and/or soybean.

   Other GMO products put out by Monsanto are so-called “Roundup Ready” corn and soybean that has had its DNA genetically altered to make the plant resistant to Monsanto’s weed killer, “Roundup”.  There have been no scientific studies on the health affects of this product in humans because the GMO “frankenfood” industry has been so hostile to anyone who dares to study it.

   According to an article  on www.gmo-awareness.com, studies on human health risks have been thwarted by the industry. “Nearly two decades after genetic engineered crops have been in your grocery store, human studies are only now starting to be performed — but not in the United States. Why is no research being done on the potential human health risks of GMOs in our country? The ag-bio companies won’t let it happen. Emily Waltz explained it back in 2009, in her article published in Nature Biotechnology: ‘the crop industry’s strong-arm tactics and close-fisted attitude to sharing seeds is holding back independent research and undermining public acceptance of transgenic crops.’ Scientific American magazine agreed: ‘Agritech companies have given themselves veto power over the work of independent researchers.’ Not surprisingly, no such permission has been granted in the last twenty years, except for studies that are crafted to put GMOs in a positive context.’”

   Unfortunately, GMO corn and other food stocks are prevalent in thousands of different processed foods across the U.S.—even though Europe has taken steps to limit and in some cases out right ban those types of food due to adverse health reactions.

   Currently, there is no way for a consumer to know whether or not the food they are buying is a GMO or not, unless they buy food that is certified organic.  But even then, organic foods are becoming polluted with the pollen from fields of nearby corporate farmers who use GMO seed in their fields.

   The law signed by the governor would require all food sold in Maine retail establishments that contains GMO to be labeled as such while restaurants would be exempt.

   The law, which was admittedly signed “symbolically,” is essentially moot until at least four other states from the pool of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania ratify similar legislation.  Once four of those states have adopted similar GMO labeling legislation, the Maine law would then take effect.      “From what I remember of the debate on GMO labeling, much of the fear about passing the law resulted from the possibility that major food companies would simply stop doing business in Maine considering the size of our market,” said State Representative, Tyler Clark (R-Easton, Fort Fairfield, Mars Hill). “With the extra States few companies could give up that much market share because they were forced to label their product. Maine could have passed it on their own but it may not have received the votes needed to pass, the number of States was simply a political compromise.”

   Last month, Connecticut governor, Dannel Malloy signed similar legislation making his state the first in the nation to enact a GMO labeling law.  This brings the total states needed to put the law into force down to three.

   The law is due to sunset in ten years from January 1, 2013 if the requisite four additional states do not ratify similar legislation.  Until then, the best consumers who want to avoid the potentially toxic effects of GMO can do is to buy food certified organic and hope for the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click for Fort Fairfield, Maine Forecast 

______________________________

 

Town and Country Advertising, from Scottsdale, Arizona is selling special events and holiday advertising packages in Fort Fairfield Journal.  To be included in these special feature ads, call 1-800-342-5299 or

e-mail: tgcorp@cox.net 

__________________________