• It is required that any non-meat foods sold in their whole form in a package (such as wheat flour or oranges) must be labeled if irradiated.
• Labeling is mandatory for fresh whole fruits and vegetables
• The USDA demands labels for unpackaged or unpackaged meat products irradiated in their entirety
• The USDA also says that any irradiated meat product included in a packaged food must also be identified as such in the ingredient list.
• If other individual ingredients in a processed food were irradiated (such as spices), notice is not mandatory.
• At this time, labeling is not required for foods served in restaurants, salad bar fare, hospital or airline meals, items prepared by delis or supermarket take-out departments, spices, or herb teas, or supplement ingredients.

You wouldn't pick an apple off of a tree, spray it with a can of raid, and hand it to your child would you? Well, any time we feed our children non-organic meat, dairy, or produce, that's exactly what we are doing. As early as five decades ago, revolutionary research was published by Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which scrupulously exposed the  dangers of pesticides back in 1962. DDT was invented in 1946 (and then banned from commercial use three decades later), redefining American agriculture for the worse. DDT was originally invented by the U.S. military as a biological weapon in the second world war. Before DDT, American farmer's lost 30% of their crops to bugs each year. 

Today, farmer's still lose 30% of their crops to bugs, except their pesticide bill exceeds $4 billion each year!! This can be attributed to the anomaly of the "superbug" era. Before pesticides were invented and commercially used, there were 14 different species of crop bugs; now there are over 500 different species, all of which are becoming more and more resistant to the chemical toxic brews known as pesticides. We have essentially expedited extreme insect-darwinism, creating these genetically superior bugs that will no longer die off, and the problem is only getting worse. Luckily, organic pest-control techniques are proving extremely effective, and are gaining higher demand amongst organic consumers and farmers (these techniques include control mechanisms such as using neem, garlic spray, onion and mint as natural repellants, or planting decoy crops like alfalfa crops near strawberry and cotton crops to deflect the bugs). There is also growing interest in an option that has been around for decades- a multi-pronged strategy known as integrated pest management (IPM), that many experts contend can reduce pesticide use by 50% or more without reducing either yield or profits.  Farmers choose among a variety of techniques including rotating crops, plant pest resistant varieties, and encouraging the development of natural enemies to prevent pest outbreaks. Pesticides are used as little as possible and are used only if non-chemical means fail to keep the number of pests below damaging levels. Hopefully these techniques catch on fast, as pesticides are quickly becoming a staple in the average American diet. It is estimated that in the U.S. alone, over 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides are sprayed on our land each year. In fact, residues of pesticides can be found in the fat of most Americans. The EPA has listed pesticides in our food as one of the nation's most pressing health and environmental issues. 

But the important part is not to panic! Just remember these following tips when going grocery shopping for produce, dairy, or meat:

• Higher Price Usually Means Higher Quality- organically grown food costs more for several reasons. The low price we usually pay for our food is partly made possible by the large scale of agricultural business. Cheap food reflects government subsidy programs and economic support for agriculture, which in most cases is not available to organic farmers. Also labor costs are higher for the weeding, planting, and harvesting or organic crops.
• Where to Look- Organic produce is getting easier to find as consumer demand rises and a profitable market becomes the drive. You can find organic food in natural food stores, natural food co-operatives, health food stores, and farmer's markets. And the good news is that you can now find organic food in most large supermarkets (in either small sections of produce or sequestered aisles reserved for organic). You can always go online to order your organic food directly from the farmers themselves (and always check the back of health food magazines/catalogues at natural grocery markets).
• Check for Certification- If you can help it, try to make sure that no matter where you get your food, it is organic. Since October 21, 2002, guidelines were established by the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) to assure consumers know the exact organic content of the food they buy. This certification is very important as it enforces strict regulations concerning everything from pest-control, to organic soils, to organic farming techniques, seeds, and packaging. Some farmer's will claim that they sell "pesticide-free" or "chemical-free" produce, but this leaves room for many loose interpretations, and bare in mind that these farmers are not certified organic for a reason. And remember that "natural" does NOT mean organic!
• Stay Away From Imported Produce. Companies in the U.S. export highly toxic pesticides such as DDT which are banned for use later. Importers then later turn around a bring a wide variety of fruits and veggies from countries that are actively using those poisons on their crops. Then local supermarkets pick them up etc.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables in water if you are not buying organic (you can also wash them in mild natural dishwashing soap and water to remove extra surface pesticides). You can also buy non-toxic products that are made just for this purpose: Environne's www.vegiwash.com and Fit's www.tryfit.com.

"Human beings have become the new guinea pigs"

I don't quite know where to start with this one. GMO's quite frankly, are not foods. They are not nutrition-supportive, vitamin and mineral supplying, healthy, natural, god-given nourishment intended for human consumption. And what's even more horrifying, is that there are NO LONG TERM TESTS done on the impact of GMO's on the human body. GMO's were invented to expedite American Agribusiness in the early 1990's, for no other reason than pure corporate profit. There was no humanitarian incentive, no "solving-world hunger" motivations, and no health promises in this mission statement. It was purely money and power driven human manipulation and playing-god science intended to strengthen the corporate hold for biotech corporations by granting them legal rights to hold patents on sterile and pesticide- resistant seeds (Monsantos), and to eventually hold a monopoly on food regulations, farming techniques, pesticides, and food manufacturing, all the while de-naturing and mutilating our food to the point of no recognition.

We are now living in a world where genetically engineered crops are on the market WITHOUT special labeling (including those with transplanted genes from fish, toads, etc.) Since no long term studies have been conducted, we are all essentially acting as human guinea pigs to these aborrhed atrocities. Currently, legislation requiring labeling for GMOs is being considered in Congress, however, the U.S government's basic position is that claims of the dangers of GMO's are thus far "unfounded" and "unwarranted" and will not stop the marketing of these products. In the U.S. there are more than 50 genetically altered crops and plants approved for use, and the FDA estimates that within the next few years, another 150 will be added. Genetically altered produce includes varieties of soybeans, yellow corn, russet potatoes, canola, tomatoes, and papaya. Here are some helpful hints to prevent these government science experiments from ending up on your plate:

• It is estimated that 70% of processed foods contain genetically engineered ingredients! Currently, only certified organic foods provide certainty that a food contains NO genetically modified ingredients.
• You can look at the PLU (Price Look-Up) Codes which are assigned to fresh produce that is sold loose, bunched, or in bulk as with an individual apple or bunch of greens. Organically grown foods have PLU codes starting with the number 9 and five digits thereafter. Genetically engineered produce has a five-digit PLU prefaced by the number 8. Conventional produce has a four-digit PLU.
• Stay updated on the latest developments surrounding the GMO debaucle-Two excellent sources of information are the websites of the Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org), and Mothers for Natural Law (www.safe-food.org).

The Codex Alimentarius

"The final nail in the coffin"

And last but certainly not least, it now it appears as though the food control will no longer be in the hands of U.S. lawmakers. The Codex Alimentarius, a subsidiary of the World Health Organization and the FAO (funded by the U.N.), has now proven to become one of the greatest threats to our health and health freedom that we have ever faced as a nation. Codex began simply enough when the U.N. commissioned the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization to develop a universal food code. Their purpose was to 'harmonize' regulations for dietary supplements worldwide and set international safety standards for the purposes of increased trade. Unfortunately, powerful and deep-pocketed pharma, medica, biotech, and agribusiness interests stepped in and began exerting their influence. Instead of focusing on food safety, Codex (a TRADE commission, not a health commission) is now using its power to promote worldwide restrictions on vitamins and food supplements, severely limiting their availability and dosages, while simultaneously mandating toxic chemicals, bovine hormones, and anti-biotics to be administered in ALL food, even organic food! Effective December 31, 2009, the Codex will have successfully executed their campaign to illegalize vitamins and supplements, and to ban health labels on food and nutrition, allowing pharmaceutical and biotech/agribusiness corporations to put whatever they feel fit into food, without having to inform the public. Scary stuff. To learn about more about the codex and its unfathomable threat to our nation's health freedom, go here or watch this video.