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August is generally regarded as the last month of summer. It is hot, and often lazy, and for many of us it is the time when we make the transition from summer fun to back-to-school. However, August is also the month when Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired millions with his “I Have a Dream” speech. On August 28, 1963, Dr. King stood in front of a sea of people of all colors, ages, and backgrounds and shared his vision for freedom for all. It is a speech that is as referenced and revered today as it was the day he delivered it - and has, no doubt, inspired millions around the world to have their own dream.

"You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one"

-- John Lennon

 THIS IS OUR 300th Article! 

Wow! Thanks for being with us on this incredible journey!

Comment to USDA Regarding GMO Regulation
By Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America
August 2, 2019 

The words of this comment are partially attributed to the Center for Food Safety, and partially to Moms Across America (in italics).

The new GMO regulations threaten America and beyond in the following ways

Health:

Our federal health care spending topped 3.5 trillion in 2018. Food is the most impactful factor of our health. American food is toxic, and it is making us sick. It could make us bankrupt.

Dear Presidents of Countries That Import USA Crops and Consumer Groups,

The mothers and families of the USA need your international help. Trump has signed an executive order prompting USDA policy change to allow GMO companies to self-determine if their GMO innovations pose a "plant pest" risk and therefore need to be regulated by our USDA or not. No mention of harm to humans or life on the planet. These GMOs - herbicide tolerant, BT Toxin, gene drives and CRISPR - with thousands of genetic mutations, will be exported to your country and/or other crops will likely be contaminated by their pollen or seeds. Your people, our people, will be a part of a continued global experiment whose results are only known when our young are sick and dying...which is already happening.

Thousands of us dedicated our lives to getting GMOs labeled. We thought we were being reasonable and that our government would listen to us. Our previous administration did not. GMOs are still not labeled, and they remain in our food unseen, without warning, and with thousands more in the pipeline.

Now our new administration has signed an executive order that GMO companies will be able to self-determine whether their GMO should be regulated or not. These are the same companies that brought us DDT, PCB's, Agent Orange, and Glyphosate. The same companies that poison the paradise of Hawai'i, that refuse to pay the fees justly award to cancer patients in need of care due to the use of their products, and the same companies that have been found to be ghost writers of "scientific" studies showing that glyphosate is "safe."

These are the people our government trusts to put safe chemicals and genetically modified species in our marketplace, our towns, and our bodies. We do not agree that this is safe. In fact, we believe this is dangerous, corrupt, and criminal. They know that GMOs and chemicals like glyphosate can cause harm and they are allowing this anyway. Or do they? Are they seeing only the industry science and hearing from chemical company CEOs with big donation checks?

• Get tested. You need proof that these chemicals are impacting your bodies. We suggest urine testing with Health Research Institute Labs for glyphosate because they have the lowest detect-ability. Great Plains Labs has a GPL-Tox test for many pollutants which is very useful.
• Hair testing from the Detox Project is also good because it shows a month's accumulation.
• Go to or email the nearby farmers, landscapers or neighbors who are spraying and ask why/what they are spraying. Follow up with an email, asking for it in writing. I ask because “my kids have chemical sensitivities and I just want to be clear which ones they might be responding to.”

At Moms Across America, we are always on the lookout for safe, toxin-free alternatives to the many food, household, and body products that we are exposed to every day.

MAA supporter Marielle shares with us some of her favorite solutions that are safe not only for our families but our fur babies too.

Bug repellent and spray products can be scary for moms across the nation, even more concerning than the mosquitoes themselves. Many popular bug repellents are known to contain harsh chemicals (e.g. petroleum) which makes many hesitant to use them on their kiddo’s skin. When the “momsenses” kick in, many moms question sunscreens, lotions, soaps, etc. to ensure the safety and well being of their kids.

Our current administration has issued many executive orders and declared some situations in America as a State of Emergency. Troops have been mobilized, millions of emergency funding have been spent, and immediate actions have been taken in some situations to respond to a crisis. 

Though there are many urgent matters happening in our world today, our administration needs to see the state of emergency, happening everyday in almost every American home, is the state of our children's health.

We call upon our administration to focus its attention on our millions of sick children, now. Immediate action must be taken, political will must be mobilized, and policies must be passed to protect our children. Our children are our future. Without healthy children, and adults, we cannot be a world power, a thriving nation, or a compassionate society. We must take action to prevent health issues, not just to treat them. We must reduce our children's exposure to toxins, regain their potential, and the future of our country.

If you looked at the recent news about the policy proposal to have GMO companies regulate themselves, 30 years ago, we would have thought it satire. No one except for the GMO companies, shareholders, and corrupted members of our government would thought that it would be a good idea for chemical companies to regulate themselves. We have all seen, through the devastating situations of cancer and deformities involving Agent Orange, DDT, PCBS, PFAS (ie:non stick pan chemicals) what happens when chemical companies are allowed to sell their products without regard for safety. This recent executive order is an assault on the health and safety of us all.

The Center for Food Safety states," Unfortunately the rules being proposed would make almost every GMO exempt from regulation and instead allow the companies that make GMOs decide the safety of their own products before selling them. If we don’t stop these new rules, the vast majority of GMOs will not be reviewed by the government. Instead chemical and food companies would decide whether or not their own GMOs are harmful. Talk about a conflict of interest!"

We must speak up!

We all love our pets. But both wild and domesticated animals are contracting illnesses at an increasing and alarming rate. There are many factors that are contributing to the tragic increase of animal sickness and death including food, environmental factors, and vaccines.

Food is the most consistent contributor to an animal’s health. Unfortunately, the pet owner community and animal advocates can no longer just trust the label on a pet food package, even if it says “natural.” In general, the safety standards and requirements to disclose ingredients are far less rigorous for animal food than human food.

Join millions of people reducing their plastic waste!

Plastic Free July is a campaign led by the Plastic Free Foundation. Each year, millions of people around the globe take the challenge and choose to refuse single-use plastics. Their vision is to see a world without plastic waste. In July 2018 alone, 120 million people across the globe took part in the challenge across 177 countries.

Whether you want to reduce your consumption at work or at home, whether you already are aware of things you can do to cut back on plastic use - or need fresh ideas - Plastic Free July and the Green Education Foundation have many creative options.