earthPoems
Environment, British Columbia and the PunjabArchive for Cruelty
Human genes in GMO rice being grown in United States
Note from Earthpoems: This genetically modified (GMO) rice, and/or its seed, that includes human genes for the purpose of manufacturing substances for synthetic drugs, may be being sold or grown in ‘third world’ countries. Please inquire locally to make sure it’s not consumed by people. The company name is Ventria Bioscience. Watch out for rice or seed from VENTRIA.
Eat and grow non-hybrid non-gmo foods
From NaturalNews:
Unless the rice you buy is certified organic, or comes specifically from a farm that tests its rice crops for genetically modified (GM) traits, you could be eating rice tainted with actual human genes. The only known GMO with inbred human traits in cultivation today, a GM rice product made by biotechnology companyVentria Bioscience is currently being grown on 3,200 acres in Junction City, Kansas — and possibly elsewhere — and most people have no idea about it.
Since about 2006,Ventria has been quietly cultivating rice that has been genetically modified (GM) with genes from the human liver for the purpose of taking the artificial proteins produced by this “Frankenrice” and using them in pharmaceuticals. With approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),Ventria has taken one of the most widely cultivated grain crops in the world today, and essentially turned it into a catalyst for producing new drugs.
Originally, the cultivation of this GM rice, which comes in three approved varieties (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/biotech_ea_permits.html), was limited to the laboratory setting. But in 2007,Ventria decided to bring the rice outdoors. The company initially tried to plant the crops in Missouri, but met resistance from Anheuser-Buschand others, which threatened to boycott all rice from the state in the event thatVentria began planting its rice within state borders (http://todayyesterdayandtomorrow.wordpress.com).
SoVentria‘s GM rice eventually ended up in Kansas, where it is presumably still being grown for the purpose of manufacturing drugs on 3,200 acres in Junction City. And while this GM rice with added human traits has never been approved for human consumption, it is now being cultivated in open fields where the potential for unrestrained contamination and spread of its unwanted, dangerous GM traits is virtually a given.
“This is not a product that everyone would want to consume,” said Jane Rissler from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to theWashington Post back in 2007. “It is unwise to produce drugs in plants outdoors.”
Though receiving tens of thousands of public comments of opposition, many rightly concerned about the spread of GM traits, the USDA approved open cultivation of Ventria‘s GM rice anyway. This, of course, occurred after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had refused approval forVentria‘s GM rice back in 2003 (http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/publications/PharmaRice.pdf).
GM ‘pharmaceutical’ rice could cause more disease, suggests report
Besides the threat of contamination and wild spread,Ventria‘s GM rice, which is purportedly being grown to help third-world children overcome chronic diarrhea, may conversely cause other chronic diseases.
“These genetically engineered drugs could exacerbate certain infections, or cause dangerous allergic or immune system reactions,” said Bill Freese, Science Policy Analyst at the Center for Food Safety (CFS), who published a report back in 2007 about the dangers of Ventria‘s GM rice.
You can view that report here:
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org
Sources for this article include:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/humangene042505.cfm
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4956
http://todayyesterdayandtomorrow.wordpress.com
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/035745_GMO_rice_human_genes_Kansas.html#ixzz1wTsVXYCC
From: Natural News
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The Gulf of Mexico – 2010
These images are a selection from the Gulf of Mexico in June 2010. The impact of the spill from deep water oil wells is devastating for all living beings who live, work or earn from the sea.
After this, we must question the wisdom of bringing Albertan Tar Sands to British Columbia.
A hard hat from an oil worker lies in oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana June 8, 2010.
(REUTERS/Lee Celano)
Brown Pelicans, covered in oil from BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill, huddle together in a cage at the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Buras, Louisiana June 6, 2010.
(REUTERS/Lee Celano)
Marine reef ecologist Scott Porter works to remove oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill from his hands on Monday, June 7, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico south of Venice, Louisiana.
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
A dead turtle floats on a pool of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in Barataria Bay off the coast of Louisiana Monday, June, 7, 2010.
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Hermit crabs struggle to cross a patch of oil from the the Deepwater Horizon spill on a barrier island near East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A brown pelican coated in heavy oil wallows in the surf June 4, 2010 on East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana.
(Win McNamee/Getty Images)
From http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/06/scenes_from_the_gulf_of_mexico.html
Photographs on animal cruelty, care on display at UVAS
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE
THE Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in collaboration with the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) organised an exhibition of photographs in a bid to highlight different aspects of cruelty to animals and their care at the university campus on Tuesday.
Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Secretary Jehanzeb Khan inaugurated the exhibition. UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz, SPCA Honorary Secretary Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, executive members and the university students were present.
Students, the university staff and livestock professionals placed their pictures in the exhibition. The pictures covered both the aspects-cruelty to animals and love for them-by society. Total 300 pictures were received for the exhibition while 80 best pictures were put on display. The three top position winners would get cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively on the last day of the show. The exhibition will continue till Oct 30.
Speaking in the inaugural ceremony, Livestock and Dairy Development secretary called for creating awareness about the animal rights.
He said animals had also the right to live in the world with peace, adding that a coalition of animal lovers should be formed to work for animal welfare.
He sought suggestions to amend laws to prevent cruelty to animals and work for their rights, asking the SPCA to make a plan of action for the year 2009 and assured the government support in its animal welfare efforts.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz said the UVAS was an institution dedicated to the welfare of animals, adding that the staff and students of the UVAS would continue giving their contributions in this regard. He deplored that animals were given less food, less water and were subjected to cruelty in society and stressed that animals should be used for research, experiments and other work in a humane way. He said the UVAS had extended its academic scope to other fields besides the veterinary and animal sciences and it was encouraging that even medical doctors and pharmacists were getting postgraduate degrees from the veterinary university.
Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry spoke about the set-up and functioning of the SPCA. He said the SPCA had its centres in 17 districts in the province, which had been working for prevention of cruelty to animals. He suggested that society’s scope should be enhanced by including welfare of animals in its functioning.
Sign the ‘Stop Puppy Mills Throughout Canada!’ pledge
Puppy mills are large scale operations that force “breeder dogs” to produce litter after litter to support demand for purebred pets.
These puppies are sold in storefronts that mask the suffering, disease, malnutrition and loneliness of puppy mills.
You can help stop this suffering in Canada. Please sign our pledge to stop puppy mills!
Most people are unaware that when they buy a purebred puppy they are often supporting a cruel and inhumane industry. In fact, some puppies have had such a hard, short life that they die within days or weeks of purchase.
By choosing not to buy your next pet or any pet supplies from retail stores or Internet sites that sell live dogs or cats – and sharing the message with others – you are directly helping to end this cycle of cruelty.
From Robyn E.
Care2 Action Alerts
