Health Benefits of sprouts, Organic Issues, Genetic Engineering  6

GM alfalfa - new threat to organic food. Monsanto has been prevented from introducing GM alfalfa in the US, but now it's taken aim at Canada. This could spell the end of certified organic alfalfa seed for sprouting, and will make organic livestock and grain much more difficult to raise.  - Watch this spot for developments.

Sulforaphane found in broccoli sprouts may rejuvenate the immune system This article in Science Daily gives details.

THE biggest study into organic food has found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people's lives. See this article.

GM foods a health risk?
See this well researched article by Jeffrey M. Smith.
How corporations engineered the non-regulation of dangerous genetically modified foods.

Raw almonds? California almond producers are adopting a rule that will require all almonds to be pasteurized by heat or a chemical .
They may still be labelled as raw. Sign this petition to ask for consumer choice.

EVEN MORE GOOD NEWS -
California Judge makes injunction against Roundup Ready genetically modified alfalfa permanent. USDA and Monsanto will need to perform an environmental review, estimated to take 2 years, before the GM alfalfa can be planted further. Hopefully after proper review, the GM alfalfa will be prohibited. See this article in the SF Chronicle.

Sale of  Monsanto's Roundup Ready alfalfa halted by US court.
Finally some recognition that new GM organisms should be subject to environmental review

GOOD NEWS - A US judge has found that the USDA was "cavalier" in allowing the release of Monsanto's GM alfalfa without an environmental review. This may halt the growing and sale of GM alfalfa, and may have long term effects in slowing the introduction of GM crops. See this press release.

BACKGROUND - See this press release, from the Western Organization of Resource Councils, on the GM alfalfa issue in the USA.

- IMPORTANT - Monsanto is trying to register a GM (Roundup Ready) alfalfa in Canada (and as early as this spring in the US).
 We hope that both commercial sprouters and home users of alfalfa sprouts in Canada will let their MP and the Minister of Agriculture know what you think. Please take the time to do it. Alfalfa is bee pollinated, so cross pollination can take place from miles away. Help keep your alfalfa sprouts free of insufficiently tested foreign genetic material.
You can see more of my comments on this issue here.

An illegal variety of genetically modified rice has been found contaminating the US food supply.
BBC news article on contaminated long grain rice

We need choice on GM foods
Article in the Toronto Star by Cameron Smith

New broccoli sprout study shows benefits carry into the offspring's adulthood
Eating broccoli sprouts during pregnancy may provide your kids with life-long protection against cardiovascular disease, according to a research team led by Dr. Bernhard Juurlink at the University of Saskatchewan.

GM crops fail to deliver benefits to Africa
Ten years after the first significant planting of genetically modified (GM) crops there are no apparent benefits for consumers, farmers or the environment, a report made public on Tuesday said. The African Centre for Bio-safety and Friends of the Earth Nigeria said that despite the promises of the biotech corporations there had been no impact on hunger and poverty.

Preliminary study indicates rats fed GM soy flour had lighter pups with poorer survival - If this study is replicated, it would indicate that there are serious safety problems with some GM foods.
 See this thorough discussion at foodconsumer.org.

Going Organic Can Shield Children From Pesticides
A study finds benefits are 'immediate' and suggests that youths are exposed to the chemicals primarily through food, not spraying of homes. See the LA times article.

Like your sprouts cold?
Arctic adventure traveler Gary Rolfe fuels his training with our sprouts. See his website here.

Sprouting in Africa?
See this site from Kitchen Garden.
Also Val Archer of  Automatic Sprouter fame is in South Africa.

First U.S. Labelling Law for Genetically Engineered Food Passes in Alaska- See information on the Center for Food Safety site.

Organic diet enhances health? - new research - see the story at Organic Consumers Association or the complete report  from The Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming.

100 grams a day of sprouts may prevent cancer - research from the University of Ulster.

GOOD NEWS FLASH - Monsanto gives up on GM wheat, at least for now! Consumer power wins the day.

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Questions about sprouts and sprouting? Join the new Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sprouting.

Fresh veggies for food banks:  See the Plant a Row/Grow a Row initiative from the Composting Council of Canada.

From NewFarm:
"Food irradiation violates at least three basic principles
of public health and food security . . .
. . . so why is the Canadian government planning to expand its list of foods that can be sterilized with irradiation?"
See story here...

New study links eating organic food to much lower pesticide residues in children. See this page at the Organic Consumers Association for more information and for a link to the original study.

Finally, a no muss, no fuss way to grow shoots and wheatgrass.
It's also great for those tricky seeds like cress and arugula. Check out our new Baby Blanket and Sea Spray organic liquid kelp fertilizer. Works for commercial sprouting, home countertop sprouting, and in Val Archer's automatic sprouting system.

Time Magazine discusses all sprout diet -
a cover story in the Canadian and US edition of Time discusses vegetarian diets;  mentions sproutarianism as one variety (see Vegans, Raws, and Pescos).

Monsanto creating fake people to promote GMO's?
- see this fascinating article in the Manchester Guardian by George Monbiot.

New poll  shows that a huge majority of Canadians favour mandatory labelling of foods containing GMO's. Click here to see the story. The Consumer's Association of Canada now supports mandatory labelling, in contrast to their old stance here.

Mouse takes on Elephant
Saskatchewan organic farmers plan to sue Monsanto Canada and Aventis CropScience Canada for pollution of the environment with biotech Canola.
See this Jan. 11 news story from the Toronto Globe and Mail.

Other Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) information links.

Mendocino County, California bans GE crops, animals!

Sprouting isn't patentable -- The sprouters have won their court case. Patent of broccoli sprouts declared invalid. Brassica Group has appealed and lost the appeal.

Information on the court ruling - See the 2nd article down on this page.

New Automatic Sprouter tests out fine. We have our new automatic sprouter based on Val Archer's design running, and it works great.

"Can Organic Farming Feed the World"? by Christos Vasilikiotis, Ph.D.
Extensive review of the literature comparing conventional and organic farming systems.

There's a plan to "Nuke" seeds used for growing sprouts.
Click here for the details on proposed sprout seed irradiation. (Just Say NO)

Mumm's Sprouting Seeds grows and supplies Certified Organic seeds for sprouters. Quantities can be from a package to a container load, for home-grown sprouts and microgreens, and commercial sprouting.
Add us to your favourites (bookmarks) and come back often to see updated sprouting and organic information.

Check out our new Easy Sprout.
Easy, quick, and efficient way to grow lots of sprouts. We recommend it for Broccoli. More information.

Great gift idea - our new "GET SPROUTING" Jar, available by clicking our web stores to the right.

Bumper crop of sunflower shoots in the Freshlife sprouter. More information.

New items in the web stores - Sprout chart, Hemp Sprouting Bag, and four new books from Steve Meyerowitz. Click the stores to the right for more information.

See our FAQ pages for common questions and answers on sprouting.

See our
 new wheatgrass sprouting directions , 
our new sunflower directions,
or our pea shoot directions.