Fake anti-GMO "Study" Revoked

Quite a while back, I posted about a "study" which purported to show that GMO corn gave rats tumors. (You can read my full article on it here.) At the time, I pointed out that the study lacked the things that would make it scientifically credible: a control group, adequate sample sizes, inaccurate analysis of the data. Plus, the rats that were used were prone to tumors anyway, regardless of diet.

And a whole lot of scientists agreed that the study was garbage. 700 scientists signed a petition asking the guy that conducted the "study" to release the full data on the study. The European Food Safety Authority was of "insufficient scientific quality to be considered valid." Last month, Nature Journal, where the "study" was originally published asked the lead scientist to either retract the "study" or they would do it for him.

He declined. So, the journal retracted it for him.

Now, the lead guy is mad. He claims the journal reviewed his study more than others and that a former Monsanto scientist, who now works at the journal as an editor, influenced the journal to retract it.

Or, you did a really crappy study and people called out your BS.

I'm really happy to see the journal made the appropriate decision to pull the fake study. Too many anti-GMO (so-called) scientists are publishing studies without adequate scientific basis. Many of them are doing so with money and support by leading anti-GMO interest groups. We need more accountability for the scare tactics -- because that's exactly what these groups are doing.

Most people will see the headlines about these studies and never stop to look into it. Were proper procedures followed? Who funded the study? Was there any review of it? No one wants to stop and ask those questions. And it scares people needlessly. Given the stakes -- that we need to produce a whole heck of a lot more food to feed the world's hungry population -- we don't need people making up junk science to order to turn people off to biotech.

Bravo to Nature for making the right call.

Oh, and I was right.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

The Dairy Cliff - Bringing $7 Milk to a Store Near You?

No surprise, but Thanksgiving has come and gone and we still have no Farm Bill compromise. In fact, some reports indicate that the two chambers are even farther from reaching an agreement than ever before.

That means, come January 1, 2014, the current Farm Bill law will expire and the law will revert back to the 1949 version. And that might be a big problem if you're a milk lover (of which, I myself am one).

That's because the 1949 version of the Farm Bill mandated how much money the government had to pay for milk. It goes like this: when a farmer sells milk to a government entity, they are required to pay a certain price, which is higher than the current market price for milk. If more farmers sell to the government (to realize higher profits), there will be less milk supply in the private sector and prices could jump upward toward $7 or $8 a gallon.

With the re-introduction of the old Farm Bill, rules would have to be written and passed by the USDA to implement it. However, Secretary Vilasck has indicated it wouldn't take that long because his department has been prepared.

However, some farmers aren't concerned that this is going to occur. Currently, milk producers are paid a minimum amount according to the federal milk order, which pays the farmers per every hundred pounds of milk. That index doesn't change over night. Not to mention, the demand for milk priced that high might drop, and then so would the price.

Even worse? Organic milk doesn't fall under this law, which means the prices won't be affected. One can imagine a scenario that consumers would turn to organic milk instead to avoid the prices. Well, I won't, but some might.

Speak Boehner has stated that the House's session will end on December 13, 2013 for the year. That means, if there is going to be a Farm Bill, it has to happen this week. There has been some discussion of extensions of the current bill for a month or two until it can be figured out, but that seems less and less likely given how long this drama has already continued.

Whether the so-called dairy cliff is real or not, it sure would be nice if Congress could work together and pass a bill.

Farming Fridays!

Done With Harvest? 

I can't believe I'm about to say it - but today is (probably) our last day of harvest!!That's right, folks. An entire season is about to get wrapped up today. 

The guys and mom stayed out late last night to keep going and I got to ride with them. Check out these cool night videos I managed to capture: 

Out of the back of the combine cab is a window that shows you how full the combine's holding bin is -- here you can see the corn filling up the container on the combine, including where it falls into it. Of course, the window gets a little dirty. ;)

Here we are unloading the corn from that holding bin on the combine right into the grain cart. Needless to say, this takes a little skill and technique (not to mention luck) to get it right!

Unfortunately, the videos can't do the whole thing justice and I hope you'll find an opportunity to ride in the combine at some point in person.

And I just have to mention, my Spartans are going to the B1G Championship Football game this weekend. As an avid football fan, I'll of course be there - so look for me on TV. GO GREEN!!

5 Reasons Being a Farm Kid Rocks

If you had asked me back when I was 12, I would probably have told you that some of things mom and dad made us do were "child abuse." Waking up at 6am to pick cantaloupe. Transplanting tomatoes in the mud. Working at the farm market. Pulling weeds.

But as an adult, I know that those things certainly didn't hurt us one bit and, quite frankly, we probably benefited from doing them. 

Not everyone, however, thinks working on a farm is quite so wonderful. Not everyone sees the benefits of it. Some even want it banned. 

According to an article in The Nation kids working on a farm is a national travesty and my parents (and grandparents) are terrible people for allowing it:

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 banned child labor in factories and mines, but racist Southern politicians ensured the existence of enough loopholes to keep black children working on the farm. Now it’s young migrants who often do those jobs. And as [a reporter] demonstrates in the second feature of our investigative report, it’s not just nicotine poisoning and heat exhaustion, but the hazards involving farm vehicles, grain silos and manure pits, that endanger these children. 

(Note the insinuation that you're supporting a racist idea if you think kids working on a farm is perfectly acceptable.)

 Yes, working on a farm can be dangerous - we have heavy equipment, we have potentially dangerous animals, and lots of other pitfalls. But, trust me, the benefits outweigh any of the hazards. Here are my top 5 reasons growing up on a farm was pretty awesome -- and probably good for you too.

1. Farms kids are actually healthier than their non-farm counterparts. 

Research has shown that being on a farm is actually really good for kids. We encounter all sorts of things in the environment that strengthen our immune systems and allow us to fight off sickness and disease. We're pretty strong kids and, later, adults.

2. Farm Kids Respect Other People (And Their Things!)

It happens all the time - someone runs over our crops with their dirt bike, picks our corn stalks for fall decorations, or steals our produce out of the field. We see how it upsets our parents, we understand that's our money they've just taken, and we know what they did was wrong. We learn to respect other people and their property from the experience.

3. Farm kids spend a lot of time outside.

Instead of sitting in front of a television or computer screen, we actually went outside. We played games. We climbed trees. We got fresh air. We soaked up the sun. We got to use our imaginations. Being outside is good for you and we certainly spent a lot of time out there (even in the winter when we could have been in the house!).

4. Farm kids get to spend time with older relatives and other family members. 

I grew up working alongside mom and dad. Sure, we didn't always get along, but I was certainly closer to them than many of my non-farm counterparts. We're still close today and I'm fairly sure their positive influence rubbed off on me. But I also got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents. Unlike kids that see grandma and grandpa on the holidays, I actually saw mine (almost) every day during the summer. We spent a lot of time together and I got to know them as people. Now that 3 of them have left us, I cherish that time beyond measure.

5. Farm kids learn about hard work early.

The idea of hard work has been extremely beneficial to me in my adult life. I learned that on the farm. You have to get the job done before you can go have fun. It doesn't work the other way around. Things aren't handed to you on a silver platter. You don't get any favors by watching TV all day or playing video games. When you actually accomplish something, that's when you get the reward.

Carrie Underwood Loves HSUS

Hey, farmers: Carrie Underwood is not your friend.

Miss Underwood has been all over the television in recent weeks (including tonight) doing what she does best - performing music, being pretty, and making lots of cash. But before you tune into her televisions gigs, concerts, or request her songs on the radio, you should know that Carrie likes to take a portion of that cash you're giving her and donate it to people that don't like you or a rural lifestyle.

I previously posted about Carrie's opposition to so-called Ag Gag Laws. But her betrayal to rural Americans is much, much worse.

Carrie Underwood is an ardent support of animal rights organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States.

In 2009, Carrie actually donated $200,000 to HSUS. In fact, one paper even dubbed her an HSUS "Hero."

Here you can see Carrie cutting a check to fight animal agriculture.

The hypocrisy is astounding: Carrie makes her living by selling her music, concerts, and television gigs to her fans, many of whom are rural, and then turns around and uses that money to financially support an animal rights organization set on destroying their way of life.

Later in March of 2012, probably when this caught up to her, Carrie tried to backtrack on her donation to HSUS by saying (in regards to not supporting hunting or rodeos): 

“I have never said anything like that...but because I support the HSUS and their spaying and neutering programs and their efforts to stop puppy mills, some people misunderstand and think that I am involved in things that I am not involved in. I come from a rodeo town. I have several family members that hunt...close family members. I think that particular person just jumped to conclusions that are not accurate. Hope that clears things up.”

Unfortunately, it seems Miss Underwood misunderstands where her money actually went (or, more likely, doesn't want to admit that she knows exactly where it went). Less than 1% of HSUS's annual budget goes toward helping your local animal shelters, let alone anything to do with spaying or neutering pets. The rest goes to campaigning for animal rights ballot initiatives, supporting animal rights legislation, and suing farmers. The intent is to end animal agriculture. Carrie's "accidental" support for such a cause is about as likely as me "accidentally" donating a large chunk of money to HSUS.

To learn more about HSUS, click here to see the other articles I've written. For an excellent post discussing Carrie's stance and that of HSUS, click here.

And if you want to donate to help pets, be sure to donate to your local shelters.

Moms Learn About Biotech & Pesticides

Let Me Know How Starvation Works For You...

When I get rude or malicious comments on my Facebook page or blog, I usually just delete it and ban the culprit. No one wants to hear that drivel anyway. 

But once in a while, one of them tees up a response so perfect, I just have to share it. 

Check out this comment from Terry, who is apparently not happy that I'm telling people the truth about HSUS. Sorry, but I don't think her plan of action is really the best idea; do you?