In the late 1990’s, GMO crops were introduced. In genetic modification of corn and soy, the DNA of the plant is modified by implanting a foreign organism into the plant, making the plant immune to the weed killer glyphosate (a compound used to kill a wide range of weeds and the active ingredient in “Round Up” weed killer). Now farmers could spray fields with an herbicide that would kill all the weeds but not affect the corn or soybeans. 

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The biggest cost and problem for a row crop farmer (a farmer who plants hundreds of acres of corn or soybeans) is the growth of weeds in his crops. In days gone by, weeds were controlled by tillage, necessitating many passes of a tractor to uproot the weeds without destroying the crop.  Then chemicals were introduced to spray on the weeds to kill them, again necessitating repeated passes with a tractor.

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For the farmer the use of GMO seed was a huge labor savings which justified paying in excess of $300/bushel for GMO seeds versus much less expensive non-GMO seeds. While this is good for the farmer, it is not good for your health. All GMO seeds are protected by patents so farmers cannot legally save seeds for the following years’ crops. Each year farmers must purchase more GMO seed from the supplier, or go back to conventional farming.

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In order for seeds to be approved by the FDA, USDA and EPA, the seed manufacturers supplied all of the research data upon which those government agencies based their decisions. This is a classic example of “the fox guarding the hen house.” The information showed test results for three months of feeding GMO corn and soy to laboratory white rats. There was no long term data provided. Subsequently the French government ran an extended test period, at the end of which the lab rats had tumors all over their bodies. To this day most European countries, Russia and China will not allow GMO feed for their livestock or human consumption.

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Here is an example of how influential the seed industry is.

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Professor Don Huber of Purdue University was initially a big advocate of GMO as the modern way to farm. However, after extensive research and watching what was happening to the health of people, the soil and livestock exposed to both GMO and glyphosate, he turned 180 degrees against it. At that point, Purdue’s Ag Department was contacted by representatives of the seed industry and told that if they wanted to continue receiving research money they needed to force Prof. Huber to either shut up or go into retirement. Prof. Huber chose to retire so that he could warn the consuming public of what is going on with the food they consume. For more information on this topic and learn about what is going on with our food.  http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/06/dr-huber-gmo-foods.aspx

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In addition to GMO foods, glyphosate finds its way into most municipal water supplies since that water comes from streams, rivers or aquifers which have been contaminated by the farmers as they spray glyphosate on their fields.The runoff finds its way into the water we drink.

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When an animal consumes corn and soy contaminated with glyphosate and fed antibiotics, these chemicals end up in the meat you eat and the dairy products you consume. Any animal fed food containing GMO ingests the herbicide glyphosate. Studies have shown that with the introduction of GMO food into our food system, autism rates have risen. The tonnage use of glyphosate by year correlates to the epidemic increase of autism in our children by year.

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Another negative of antibiotics and glyphosate in our beef and other animal products which we consume is that it compromises our microbiome (the totality of microorganisms present in the human body, in this case we are talking about our intestines, or “gut”). This causes us to get fatter and creates leaky gut syndrome (increased intestinal permeability allowing food particles to pass through the intestinal wall into the blood stream) which leads to chronic inflammation. This is a vicious unhealthy cycle.

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What is the microbiome? This is the bacteria that lives within our gut.  How well our gut (intestines) works depends on the foods we eat. 

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Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said that all healing starts in the gut. If the bacteria in your gut is not healthy, you have poor digestion, leading to other health issues such as “leaky gut” (the gut lining becomes porous with food particles migrating into your bloodstream). Your white blood cells (your immune system) go to work trying to clean up this inappropriate material in your bloodstream - not a job they are meant to do, but one which they will do because of the contamination of your blood. This becomes a never ending process as long as the microbiome is out of balance. This leads to an immune system that is preoccupied with a job it should not be doing, leaving you susceptible to other health problems and chronic inflammation. Maintaining a healthy microbiome is the cornerstone of overall good health. Its health is a function of the quality of the food eaten – foods free of toxic chemicals, antibiotics, excessive sugars and carbohydrates.

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Next time you are at the grocery store, read the label on processed foods. Most will contain either corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup (GMO corn products), or some other derivative of sugar, most likely raised as GMO sugar beets. 

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You can either pay for healthy food now, or you can suffer and pay your doctor and pharmacist later; either way, you will pay.

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We have included a letter from a woman who had given up eating grocery store beef because it made her ill. Think about that for a moment! Since eating our beef she is able to enjoy good tasting, healthy meat rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid – an unsaturated fatty acid in milk and meat of cows, sheep and goats). CLA provides quality protein, vitamins and healthy fat.