Recently the journal that printed the article in 2000 that supported the notion that RoundUp is safe has rescinded it stating that it has now discovered that Monsanto employees wrote it but never admitted it. It will be hard to ignore as they look at a national bill, though these days ethics and morality have less to do with governing than ever. Thanks for this Denise!
I've been wondering if there will be an attempt at the state level for the Bayer protection law again. If so, there will more than likely be a bigger pushback than in past years.
Nope, when they couldn't win at state level they went federal. Now there's an effort there instead. Much more formidable I fear, except for this new retraction by the journal which is excellent news.
From the Cancer Gag Act demonstrations, Food & Water Watch meetings , Sierra Club events, Earth Justice, Natural Resource Defense Council reports, and too many others to mention regarding nitrates ( glyphosate, atrazine, neonicotinoids, etc) ravaging effects on every species. We’ve heard the sorrowful voices of families giving witness testimony of family members lives taken, all victims of the agrochemical industrial complex. Bayer Corporation’s Roundup has been banned in over 30 countries including the European Union, but as you point out Denise, we remain the victimized guinea pig collateral damage for international corporate profiteering. Cancer clusters, some of still unidentified strains, including leukemia now appear with frequent, frightening regularity not only in Iowa, but throughout the nation. And the world.
After paying out over $10 billion dollars in settlement payments, still denying culpability, they’re now lobbying Congress and are seeking the Supreme Court’s approval to indemnify them from further litigation, ignoring the overwhelming evidence of their guilt.
Iowa and Illinois annually trade places as the epicenter of the world’s worst concentration of these poisonous chemical contamination, and cancers. Until we unite together behind knowledgeable experts, armies of lawyers, honest law enforcement agencies, and Attorneys General, (not named Brenna Bird) we will continue seeing higher cancer rates, deaths, disabilities and other maladies. We likely will need international cooperation to prosecute, indict, convict and incarcerate these corporate criminals, who hide behind paid off corrupt politicians and their greedy cronies. We need billions of dollars in penalties, seizure of assets, significant prison sentences and passage of draconian laws to prevent them from ever practicing their deadly crimes against humanity and the planet, forever.
Okay, after taking a deep breath (inside), and lowering my blood pressure, your powerful story and courage brought halcyon memories to mind. I remembered reading the famous “Whole Earth Catalog” from the late 60’s. After Googling it, I found a slightly used copy for $150 dollars. Sure wish I could afford to purchase one and send it to you for the Holidays, Denise. You certainly deserve a good one.
I did indeed, take a deep breath. You have added a great deal to my piece and I thank you for that. I believe we have one copy of Mother Earth News somewhere in the bottom of a box. We also had boxes full of Organic Gardening Mags. We always thought there would be a time we good actually read them.
Absolutely true and subversive. Our niece's husband graduated from ISU in chemical engineering and went to work for Monsanto in St. Louis, doing stuff with Roundup. Died of cancer in his 40s.
When I look at the Iowa map and the different colors, I wonder how this would look if superimposed over a map of average income. Looks to me like the lower income counties get more cancer -- or less healthcare.
Thanks Denise. My Father and my brother, both farmers, both died of Cancer. Farmers find it hard to go against the flow of the farming community. Hence they elect Trump in spite of the evidence that he has depressed agriculture economy and lied about his support.
Thanks so much for telling this story and sharing years of observation from the viewpoint of living it. Thanks for a lifetime of practicing it, sharing with others, living your values. Thanks for you and Larry's courage.
My husband grew up helping process meat for his Family meat Locker in Ida Grove, has been life long Iowan. Has been a Trout fisherman and in our waterways since he was a boy. With yearly checkups, Stage 4 with mets to his skeleton, aggressive prostrate Cancer gleason score 9 10 in 15 biopsies. Has had round 1 chemo and hormone chemo. Takes chemo meds daily and 90 day shots, labs, imaging as needed. Cancer is under arrest now. He will never be cured and he will always be on maintenance chemo, hormone injections. He had infusion to try and grow back, strengthen skeleton. The cancer was doubling every month, when caught by pcp at yearly check up psa had gone from 3 to 12, was sent to u of i and we waited 3 months. Score was 24. Then insurance paid for biopsies. We waited almost 9 months for PET scan approval to finally see where the cancer was. Took from July until January to get him on chemo. Iowa is excruciating in getting diagnosis and timely treatment. While he waited he was being eaten alive by aggressive cancer. There are forces in the backround delaying access to care. Insurance companies must be ended. No one should have to wait for necessary care to be approved.
What a great post, Denise. You and Larry are such role models and dreamers turned demonstrators of what can be done and should done: simply. Better for us, better for Mother Nature, just simply better.
But not better for Big Ag. And therein lies the problem.
Thank you Andy. We’ve tried and not always been successful. I’ve admired larry over the years for taking a different path than the other farmers in our area.
Hi, Denise. First time reader. I live in Dubuque. I've sent some info to the Iowa Primary Care Association with requests to track the incidence of cancers in our state, since the Trump administration has decided to de-list the five rivers that had been listed as dangerous and endangered due to nitrate pollution.
To my mind, every agricultural concern, large or small, should be governed by the principles of B Corporations, which prioritize care of planet, customers, suppliers, and neighbors on the same level as profits. C Corporations obligate companies to maximize profit to the detriment of every other concern: why should we even permit that, much less encourage it?
As a lifelong bibliophile and environmentalist, I would love to see your bookshelf. Whether they remain on your shelves or not, I'm guessing the Mother Earth News and Whole Earth Catalog and the works of Helen and Scott Nearing, Wendell Berry, and Gary Snyder might have visited you from time to time. Wishing you and yours safety and health.
I noted, in viewing the slide presentation for Cass County (Boone County, where I live has not yet had a meeting) that environmental factors were glossed over/dismissed. If discussed we might have to broach the subject of nitrates, ag chemicals, etc. Thanks for raising awareness, something the state is not really doing
You are so right. The Nishnabotna Water Defenders secretary was able to have the floor briefly to let folks attending know that we existed and that we were teaching people to do nitrate testing. Several people came up to us and asked us questions afterwards. Perhaps at your county meeting, someone can make a comment about the connections.
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your experience. We seem sadly intent in so many ways upon killing ourselves off as a species. I’m not sure how humans get the designation as Most Intelligent Species. Thank you for trying to wake people up.
Thank you, Denise, for this beautifully written, informative action plea from the heartland to save Mother Earth (as Earth Day, Mother Earth News, and Rodale Press called us and taught us in the 70s). Now that we are in our 70s, your reminder of, and recall of our love for, and dependence on Mother Earth is what we need! Thanks to you and Larry for demonstrating what can be done, and for gathering us to change ourselves so we can change the world sustainably and lovingly! Love the pix and the Farms Not Arms t-shirt blast from the past!
Recently the journal that printed the article in 2000 that supported the notion that RoundUp is safe has rescinded it stating that it has now discovered that Monsanto employees wrote it but never admitted it. It will be hard to ignore as they look at a national bill, though these days ethics and morality have less to do with governing than ever. Thanks for this Denise!
I've been wondering if there will be an attempt at the state level for the Bayer protection law again. If so, there will more than likely be a bigger pushback than in past years.
Nope, when they couldn't win at state level they went federal. Now there's an effort there instead. Much more formidable I fear, except for this new retraction by the journal which is excellent news.
Exactly. Their influence at the federal level is like a tsunami hitting land at sea level.
From the Cancer Gag Act demonstrations, Food & Water Watch meetings , Sierra Club events, Earth Justice, Natural Resource Defense Council reports, and too many others to mention regarding nitrates ( glyphosate, atrazine, neonicotinoids, etc) ravaging effects on every species. We’ve heard the sorrowful voices of families giving witness testimony of family members lives taken, all victims of the agrochemical industrial complex. Bayer Corporation’s Roundup has been banned in over 30 countries including the European Union, but as you point out Denise, we remain the victimized guinea pig collateral damage for international corporate profiteering. Cancer clusters, some of still unidentified strains, including leukemia now appear with frequent, frightening regularity not only in Iowa, but throughout the nation. And the world.
After paying out over $10 billion dollars in settlement payments, still denying culpability, they’re now lobbying Congress and are seeking the Supreme Court’s approval to indemnify them from further litigation, ignoring the overwhelming evidence of their guilt.
Iowa and Illinois annually trade places as the epicenter of the world’s worst concentration of these poisonous chemical contamination, and cancers. Until we unite together behind knowledgeable experts, armies of lawyers, honest law enforcement agencies, and Attorneys General, (not named Brenna Bird) we will continue seeing higher cancer rates, deaths, disabilities and other maladies. We likely will need international cooperation to prosecute, indict, convict and incarcerate these corporate criminals, who hide behind paid off corrupt politicians and their greedy cronies. We need billions of dollars in penalties, seizure of assets, significant prison sentences and passage of draconian laws to prevent them from ever practicing their deadly crimes against humanity and the planet, forever.
Okay, after taking a deep breath (inside), and lowering my blood pressure, your powerful story and courage brought halcyon memories to mind. I remembered reading the famous “Whole Earth Catalog” from the late 60’s. After Googling it, I found a slightly used copy for $150 dollars. Sure wish I could afford to purchase one and send it to you for the Holidays, Denise. You certainly deserve a good one.
I did indeed, take a deep breath. You have added a great deal to my piece and I thank you for that. I believe we have one copy of Mother Earth News somewhere in the bottom of a box. We also had boxes full of Organic Gardening Mags. We always thought there would be a time we good actually read them.
Absolutely true and subversive. Our niece's husband graduated from ISU in chemical engineering and went to work for Monsanto in St. Louis, doing stuff with Roundup. Died of cancer in his 40s.
When I look at the Iowa map and the different colors, I wonder how this would look if superimposed over a map of average income. Looks to me like the lower income counties get more cancer -- or less healthcare.
Good observation Deborah. Lots of poison out here.
My experience is very similar to yours, Denise. Great essay!
Thank you Gene. I always enjoy hearing from you.
Thanks Denise. My Father and my brother, both farmers, both died of Cancer. Farmers find it hard to go against the flow of the farming community. Hence they elect Trump in spite of the evidence that he has depressed agriculture economy and lied about his support.
We live in a truly upside down time.
Thanks for the sobering history, Denise! We've got to keep working to turn this ship around!
Yes Larry. We need to keep on keepin' on.
Very sobering and informative, Denise. But I especially liked reading about your family’s personal journey in organic farming (and the photos!)
My appreciation for Mother Earth News came from its energy related articles.
Thank you. I plan to go click on the cancer map now.
Thank you Jim. Larry and I try to remain optimistic that things will change for the better as people become more aware.
And it's hearing the message from you, Dense, and others that make us more aware and more engaged. Thanks for that.
You are welcome.
Well this is totally terrifying. Thanks for wrecking my day.
No, I mean thanks for the wakeup call.
Really!
Waking up is the only answer. But how deep into society that waking must go!
Thanks so much for telling this story and sharing years of observation from the viewpoint of living it. Thanks for a lifetime of practicing it, sharing with others, living your values. Thanks for you and Larry's courage.
And thank you Kamyar for your part in working to make other's lives livable.
My husband grew up helping process meat for his Family meat Locker in Ida Grove, has been life long Iowan. Has been a Trout fisherman and in our waterways since he was a boy. With yearly checkups, Stage 4 with mets to his skeleton, aggressive prostrate Cancer gleason score 9 10 in 15 biopsies. Has had round 1 chemo and hormone chemo. Takes chemo meds daily and 90 day shots, labs, imaging as needed. Cancer is under arrest now. He will never be cured and he will always be on maintenance chemo, hormone injections. He had infusion to try and grow back, strengthen skeleton. The cancer was doubling every month, when caught by pcp at yearly check up psa had gone from 3 to 12, was sent to u of i and we waited 3 months. Score was 24. Then insurance paid for biopsies. We waited almost 9 months for PET scan approval to finally see where the cancer was. Took from July until January to get him on chemo. Iowa is excruciating in getting diagnosis and timely treatment. While he waited he was being eaten alive by aggressive cancer. There are forces in the backround delaying access to care. Insurance companies must be ended. No one should have to wait for necessary care to be approved.
Oh my word Shelly what an ordeal and long term vigilance. Holding your family in my heart.
What a great post, Denise. You and Larry are such role models and dreamers turned demonstrators of what can be done and should done: simply. Better for us, better for Mother Nature, just simply better.
But not better for Big Ag. And therein lies the problem.
Thank you Andy. We’ve tried and not always been successful. I’ve admired larry over the years for taking a different path than the other farmers in our area.
Hi, Denise. First time reader. I live in Dubuque. I've sent some info to the Iowa Primary Care Association with requests to track the incidence of cancers in our state, since the Trump administration has decided to de-list the five rivers that had been listed as dangerous and endangered due to nitrate pollution.
To my mind, every agricultural concern, large or small, should be governed by the principles of B Corporations, which prioritize care of planet, customers, suppliers, and neighbors on the same level as profits. C Corporations obligate companies to maximize profit to the detriment of every other concern: why should we even permit that, much less encourage it?
As a lifelong bibliophile and environmentalist, I would love to see your bookshelf. Whether they remain on your shelves or not, I'm guessing the Mother Earth News and Whole Earth Catalog and the works of Helen and Scott Nearing, Wendell Berry, and Gary Snyder might have visited you from time to time. Wishing you and yours safety and health.
Thank you John for your comments. I did not know the differentiation between B and C corps.
You are correct with your guesses about my bookshelf. In fact, years ago Wendell sat at our kitchen table.
Other authors include Annie Dillard,Frances Moore Lappe, Carolyn Sachs and numerous social scientists.
The Encyclopedia of Composting by Rodale Press holds a special place.
I noted, in viewing the slide presentation for Cass County (Boone County, where I live has not yet had a meeting) that environmental factors were glossed over/dismissed. If discussed we might have to broach the subject of nitrates, ag chemicals, etc. Thanks for raising awareness, something the state is not really doing
You are so right. The Nishnabotna Water Defenders secretary was able to have the floor briefly to let folks attending know that we existed and that we were teaching people to do nitrate testing. Several people came up to us and asked us questions afterwards. Perhaps at your county meeting, someone can make a comment about the connections.
I will stay alert about the meeting and then see what kind of a turnout we can muster.
Thank you for taking the time to write and share your experience. We seem sadly intent in so many ways upon killing ourselves off as a species. I’m not sure how humans get the designation as Most Intelligent Species. Thank you for trying to wake people up.
You are welcome Marcy. Thank you for reading.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experiences.
Thank you, Denise, for this beautifully written, informative action plea from the heartland to save Mother Earth (as Earth Day, Mother Earth News, and Rodale Press called us and taught us in the 70s). Now that we are in our 70s, your reminder of, and recall of our love for, and dependence on Mother Earth is what we need! Thanks to you and Larry for demonstrating what can be done, and for gathering us to change ourselves so we can change the world sustainably and lovingly! Love the pix and the Farms Not Arms t-shirt blast from the past!
That t-shirt was from the organization North American Farm Alliance, one of the many grass roots organizations that popped up during the Farm Crisis.