Come and Sit at the FOOD REVOLUTION TABLE!

April 2015 Newsletter Number 16 Table of Contents Get our March 2015 Newsletter Get our January 2015 Newsletter Go to our TV Channel Watch for the new Food Documentary, The Need To Grow Celebrate EARTH DAY 2015 Make a Pledge for Meatless Monday Grow Your Own Veggies in a Food Forever Growing System Introducing Garvin’s Greens Geodesic Domes and Hoop Houses Watch Planet Earth on Earth Day A Word From Our Editor, Grace Sylke Once again important and timely topics have usurped Part 2 of our new Series on “Obesity in America”. We promise, it’s coming soon. We just had to acknowledge EARTH DAY and the FOOD REVOLUTION Summit, which are both happening this month. Quick Links   Aquaponics USA Aquaponics USA Blog Aquaponics USA TV Aquaponics World Pinterest Wall Aquaponics USA Facebook Aquaponics WorldFacebook Aquaponics USA Twitter Aquaponics World Twitter/Food ForeverFarm Get Links to all of our 2014 Newsletters from our December 2014 Edition Here they are all in one place. Our first year of News-letters full of incredible information about Aquaponics and our Food System. Here’s our March Newsletter in case it was missed. This is an informative look at all of the Food related Programs that we are running in the U.S. including who these programs serve and the costs of those services. Here’s ourFebruary Newsletter in case it was missed. This Newsletter is all about our enclosed growing and fish raising areas, which include our Growroom and Fishroom featuring our latest evolution in Seed Germination, the SIT (Seed Incubation Table). Here’s ourJanuary Newsletter in case it was missed. This Newsletter features our latest change in the Greenhouse and it’s a real innovation. Our retired aerospace engineer turned Aquaponics Systems Designer, Oliver Duffy, just keeps improving his designs never being satisfied to settle for almost great and certainly never following the pack. See what he’s up to now in this informative Newsletter. Catch all 4 Parts of Grace’s Series on the FOOD REVOLUTION in the Aquaponics Digest Magazine The Aquaponics Digest Magazinefeatures an advanced digital magazine, publishing and marketing platform for the 21st century; and it’s just getting started. Click on the above Link to learn how/where to get the Ap for your iPhone and iPad. Aquaponics Digest Magazine is a must read for any and all Aquaponics enthusiasts. It features articles by the field’s leaders like: Sylvia Bernstein Aaron Woolf Glenn Martinez and our own, Grace Sylke. Check Out Our TV Channel We have several Videos on How To Do Aquaponics including two on installing our Food Forever Growing Systems in two schools in Tucson, AZ. Don’t Miss OurPinterest Wall It’s full of original Art by our Editor including all of the Pixton Cartoons she created for this Newsletter. Watch for the new Food Documentary,THE NEED TO GROW It’s still in production but coming out soon. It features famous food activists like Jeffery Smith, Vandana Shiva and we’re in it. Click the Link and Check Out the Trailer. This is your Invitation to come and sit at the  FOOD REVOLUTION Table!   Dear Subscriber:   This Revolution is being waged by a group of incredible Revolutionaries who are biting down on the greatest threat to the well being of our country that has ever surfaced. They are gritting their teeth and going into the fray with everything they’ve got because they see no other way to keep our once great nation and our tough, individualistic point of view alive and well. We’ve just declared April to be FOOD REVOLUTION Month in honor of the FOOD REVOLUTION Summitthat goes from April 25- May 3, 2015. We don’t like being the bearer of bad news; but the truth is WE ARE AT WAR! It’s a war for our right to eat healthy, nutritious food that is not laden with pesticides, petrochemicals and GMO’s. It’s a war for our health, our lives and the health and lives of our children and grandchildren. And the sad truth is, WE ARE LOSING; and this loss is measured in lost lives. According to an article on the Mercola.com website, “One in Five American Deaths [are] Now Associated with Obesity”. The article goes on to say that: Obesity-related deaths include those from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, liver disease, cancer, dementia, and depression because nearly all have metabolic dysfunction as a common underlying factor The only effective way to reverse these trends is to make changes in your diet and lifestyle; drugs are definitely not the answer (Note: This is one statistic taken from Part 2 of the Series on Obesity in America, which is coming in May)   Here comes the 4th Annual FOOD REVOLUTION Summit sponsored by John and Ocean Robbins who are Co-Fouders of the FOOD REVOLUTION Network and the Annual Summit. This On-Line Information packed Summit is absolutely FREE to Attend so don’t miss the interviews with three of the world’s top healthy food activists, Jeffrey Smith, Michael Pollan and Vandana Shiva. You can also hear from food savy doctors like Neal Barnard, MD, and Joel Fuhrman, MD; and don’t miss Tony Robbins  and Paul McCartney talk about how healthy eating works for them in their busy lives. If you missed our own informative 4 Part Series on the FOOD REVOLUTION, you can read it now by clicking over to our December 2014 Newsletter with Links to all of our 2014 Newsletters. It’s BAAACK! EARTH DAY, 2015 Earth Day is almost here again (unless you’ve already made every day Earth Day), which is highly recommended. In honor of this Day, we decided to give you a little history about this special day of acknowledgement for our beautiful little blue home in the Milky Way Galazy. Earth Day has grown up over the years since it was first inaugurated in the U.S. in 1970. Today, it has an entire Network of workers behind it called the Earth Day Network. Back in 1970, Earth Day was the brain child of a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson, (June 1916-July 2005) who lived to be 89. Gaylord Nelson conceived of the idea for Earth Day”after witnessing the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Inspired by the student anti-war movement, he realized that if he could infuse that energy with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution, it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. Senator Nelson announced the idea for a ‘national teach-in on the environment’ to the national media; persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair; and recruited Denis Hayes, [an environmental activist] as national coordinator. Hayes built a national staff of 85 to promote events across the land.  As a result, on the 22nd of April, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.   Earth Day 1970 achieved a rare political alignment, enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city slickers and farmers, tycoons and labor leaders. The first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.   ‘It was a gamble,’ Gaylord recalled, ‘but it worked.’ ” (Quote taken from the Earth Day Network website:History of a Movement) To learn more about Gaylord and the Earth Day story go to Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day, the making of the modern environmental movement.   As mentioned above, Gaylord didn’t achieve this monumental feat alone. He teamed up with Denis Hayes, a young environmental activist, and together they launched that first 1970 Earth Day which became what is now the mother of many organizations and spin-off movements. Together this dynamic duo along with a group of environmental leaders turned a U.S focused Earth Day into a worldwide event in 1990 “mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage. Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It also prompted President Bill Clinton to award Senator Nelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1995) — the highest honor given to civilians in the United States — for his role as Earth Day founder”. (Quote taken from the Earth Day Network website: History of a Movement) Denis Hayes went on to found the Earth Day Network and was named a Time magazine hero of the planet in 1999, shortly before he coordinated Earth Day 2000, the biggest Earth Day to that date. Hayes presently works at The Bullitt Foundation where he has served as President since 1992.   His newest book, COWED, was published this year, 2015, and is a treatise on “The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture and Environment”. It’s a must read. To learn more about the history of Earth Day and one of its coordinators, Denis Hayes, go to an article by theDaily Kos. If you happened to attend or witness Earth Day Celebrations over the weekend of April 18th and 19th, then you realize that it’s often celebrated on the weekend before or after the officially designated day, which is April 22nd. Some communities even celebrate all of April as Earth Month. This is a Day that has become so important it appears to have been placed on a sliding scale for celebratory purposes. There’s even a term called “Earth Overshoot Day” describing events happening after the official Earth Day. And now there are a number of spin-off Movements associated with and promoted by The Earth Day Network including: A BILLION ACTS OF GREEN: This is an International movement to protect the Planet and secure a sustainable future; and it’s being accomplished by ordinary people doing simple things like showering together to save water or by supporting and joining the many Sub-projects, Petitions, Pledges and Actions under The Billion Acts of Green umbrella including: The Canopy Project: “The Canopy Project plants trees that help communities – especially the world’s impoverished communities – sustain themselves and their local economies. Trees reverse the impacts of land degradation and provide food, energy and income, helping communities to achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Trees also filter the air and help stave off the effects of climate change.” (Quote taken from the above Link) The Climate Petition To Save The Planet: You can join the largest Climate Petition to save the world right here. Support Environmental Education: “As of right now, the 2015 budget includes no funding for the National Environmental Education Act; important EPA grants; the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s) Bay-Watershed Edu-cation and Training Program and Environmental Literacy Grants; or the University Sustainability Program, among others.” There’s an easy form to fill out on this page to send this important message to your members of Congress. (Quote taken from above Link) Use Less Energy: Save Money and the Environment! Did you know “the average American household spends more on home energy bills and gasoline than health care or property taxes”? Go to this page to “receive tailored tips for reducing your home energy use and see if you’re a good candidate for solar without having to call a solar installer”. (Quotes taken from the above Link) Art and our Ecological Footprint: A Call for Submissions to “Footing the Bill”: “This is an invitational crowd-sourced exhibition of artwork addressing the urgent need to live sustainably within the Earth’s finite resources. Art Works For Change, along with Earth Day Network and Global Footprint Network, invite you to join the conversation on ecological overshoot. Submit a digital image of your original artwork (all visual mediums are welcome) for an opportunity to be featured in our online exhibition, which will open on Earth Overshoot Day 2015  in August.” (Quote taken from above Link) More Actions and Pledges: This page lists a number of other Actions and Pledges you can take to become a part of The Billion Acts Of Green Movement. Join the MEATLESS MONDAYS MOVEMENT! Here’s one more project under the A BILLION ACTS OF GREEN Umbrella-it’s the Meatless Mondays Movement. Did you know that “producing one calorie of meat requires nearly twenty times the amount of energy as one plant calorie?” (Quote taken from below Link) Join the millions who have taken the pledge to not eat meat one day a week and become a part of the Meatless Mondays Movement! Grow Your Own Veggies in an Aquaponics USA Food Forever Growing System. If you’re going to start eating less meat and more veggies, why not grow your own in an Aquaponics Food Growing System? These Food Forever Growing Systems will grow food in enclosed areas using Grow Lights or in Greenhouses using the sun. This is one of our five tanks in our enclosed Fishroom where we’re raising about 150 Tilapia. These incredibly easy to raise food fish are fertilizing our 30’x8′ Greenhouse and our 30’x8′ Growroom where we are growing major amounts of lettuce, tomatoes, basil and other veggies. Above is our Greenhouse growing 3 kinds of Lettuce. We’ve shown this photo before; but it’s worth repeating. Below is our Growroom growing lettuce underInduction Lights. Sitting on the fish tank in the first image above is ourAutomatic Fish Feeder, which is the single most important item that makes raising our fish so easy and almost maintenance free. Looking for a Geodesic Dome Greenhouse for your AP System? Introducing  Garvin’s Greens Kenny Garvin Jr. is the Owner/Operator of this growing Art of Backyard Growing Company that features custom built Geodesic Dome Greenhouses in a range of sizes. He also offers some of the most durable, wind resistant Hoop Houses you will ever see. We recently had the pleasure of spending a few hours with him and his family at his company’s pristine location up in the White Mountains of Arizona where he showed us his nearly complete Demo Model of a 32′ Geodesic Dome Greenhouse sitting next to a 10′ Model. Kenny uses an amazing new Greenhouse Plastic Film that has been popular in Europe for years; but has just become available in the U.S. It’s called Polydress SolaWrap (with bubbles). “Known in Europe as LP Keder or Polydress, Polydress SolaWrap is now available in  U. S markets.  It’s an insulated film that withstands the most extreme climates.  SolaWrap has a track record for over 40 years of testing in the Swiss Alps, the Middle East, and across Europe. SolaWrap provides an insulating effect that retains up to 95% of heat radiation while providing an R-value of 1.7. This energy savings is significant!” (Quote taken from the above page) This picture shows the massive amount of space available in his Geodesic Domes that range from  10′ up to 44′. Aquaponics Farmers would definitely want to take full advantage of the Vertical space in the larger models. These Domes are all custom built by a builder who has over 20 years of customer service experience. His Hoop Houses are about as sturdy, steadfast and durable as a Hoop House could ever be. In his location, winds get up to 60 miles an hour on a regular basis so he had to design a Hoop House that was going to stay put and intact. And that’s exactly what this Hoop House will do. There is nothing flimsy about this reinforced iron, foam wrapped Hoop House design. Here Oliver, Kenny and little Kenny are testing out the sturdiness of this amazing Hoop House; and it doesn’t budge. Kenny’s goal is to provide the people he serves with a healthier more self sufficient lifestyle while making them happy, life-long customers. To Order your custom built Geodesic Dome or Made For the Wind Hoop House, just give Kenny at Garvin’s Greens a call: 928-2400-421or email him at: kennygarvin@garvinsgreens.com Tell him Grace & Oliver sent you. Watch the BBC Documentary, Planet Earth Episode 1 From Pole to Pole  Planet Earth Episode 1 From Pole to Pole – BBC Documentary In honor of our up-coming Earth Day, we wanted to share this incredible documentary from 2006. This is the first of 11 Episodes of awesome beauty. Five years in the making, it was the most expensive nature documentary series ever commissioned by the BBC and also the first to be filmed in  high definition. To see more Episodes, just go to Planet Earth on You Tube. Thank you for following our Newsletters. We love bringing them to you month after month. Please remember to Forward this email to friends and family who are ready to learn and change the way we grow our food  and distribute our food. We are what we eat. Let’s turn the tables around and become the healthiest society on the planet.   Sustainably, Aquaponics USA/World This is a reprint of our April Newsletter. If you would like to Subscribe to our Newsletters and get them in your mailbox, just go to our Home Page at http://www.aquaponicsusa.com and scroll down to our Subscription Section. We would love to have you join the growing group of food and health minded people who are ready to change our Food System.

 

What Is USDA Organic?

Aquaponics USA/World October 2014 Newsletter Number 10 Table of Contents  The USDA Organic Label is Worldwide?  What hoops (Treatments) do imported foods have to have? Irradiated Food is . . . You decide. What’s the National List? Coming in November–Part 3 A Word from our Editor, Grace Sylke It’s always such a surprise when I get into a Series like this one because I learn as much as I share. We’re waking up together; and it’s so great to have you with us on this crazy ride through our food system. Quick Links  Aquaponics USA Aquaponics World Aquaponics Blog Aquaponics USA TV The National List Food Irradiation Watch Emerging Issues in the U.S. Organic Industry The Organic Industry in the U.S (uh, not really)          Part 2   Dear Subscriber: Some of the things we’ll be sharing in this Part 2 of our Report on the Organic Industry will surprise you. In some ways we’ll be sharing the dark side of the USDA Certified Label. In other ways, depending on how you view it, we’ll be sharing the bright side. You’re invited to make up your own mind. Did you know our USDA Organic Label is Worldwide?   Many, if not most of us Americans, naively believe that our USDA Organic Label is an exclusive U.S. only Certification. We have to admit, we we’re among them; but that is not so. “The U.S. National Organic Program (NOP) streamlined the certification process for international as well as domestic trade when it was implemented in 2002. Organic farmers and handlers anywhere in the world are permitted to export organic products to the United States if they meet NOP standards, along with other regulatory standards, and are certified by a public or private organic certification body with USDA accreditation. “In 2007, USDA-accredited groups certified 27,000 producers and handlers worldwide to the U.S. Organic Standard, with approximately 16,000 in the United States and 11,000 in over 100 foreign countries. Farmers and handlers certified to NOP standards are most numerous in Canada, Italy, Turkey, China and Mexico, which together accounted for half the total foreign organic farmers/handlers in 2007.” (Taken from the USDA “Emerging Issues in the U.S. Organic Industry” Report dated June 2009.) For an updated and very extensive list of Certified USDA Organic operations worldwide go Here. Clicking through the first 20 of the 2,711 pages (with 10 on a page) is an eye-opening experience of realization that USDA Organic is, indeed, a worldwide designation; and most of these operations and handlers are importing their products to the U.S. This list was updated in 2013 and surprisingly, there are still only a few more than 27,000 Certified Organic operations. We find this both puzzling and enlightening because it means that the proportions of operations and handlers reported in 2007 remain about the same, which is to say that 41% of the holders of USDA certification are from foreign countries. EGAD! It seems we didn’t only export our manufacturing to foreign countries, we exported our USDA Organic Standards so foreign operators could import food into our agricultural sector and land it in what we established in Part 1 as the fastest growing food market, which is expected to increase by 14% annually. It’s looking like we need to place “Made in America” labels next to our USDA Labels these days. (All quotes in this section taken from the USDA “Emerging Issues in the U.S. Organic Industry” Report dated June 2009.) What happens to Foreign Imported Food before it’s allowed in the U.S.? If we really wanted to tell this story in its entirety, it would take all of next years Newsletters in a Series. Don’t worry, we’re not going there. But we are going to give you a bird’s eye view of what Foreign Imported Food has to go through to gain entry and thank goodness these regulations are in place. “Since fruits and vegetables are particularly susceptible to phytosanitary [meaning issues that have to do with plant disease and plant pests] problems, their imports are often subject to a large number of regulatory requirements.” Having the USDA Organic label doesn’t magically get organic operator produce across the U.S. border because other agencies have to be satisfied. “For example, fruit and vegetable imports are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for pest risk, USDA’s Agricultural Market-ing Service regulates for quality standards and marketing claims and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates for adulteration with pesticides and human pathogens.” Then there’s the National Agricultural Release Program (NARP). It is “a special import program that mandates fewer physical inspections for shipments in pathways designated as low risk by APHIS.” Under the NARP Program, “APHIS allows agricultural inspections and treatments to occur at the country of disembarkation by creating producer-financed, pre-clearance programs.” The interesting word here that covers an entire gamut of things that could happen to imported fruits and vegetables prior to entry is the word, “TREATMENTS”. Treatments are actions that can be ordered by the regulating agency called APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). APHIS can order that the shipment be Fumigated, Cold Treated, Hot Treated, Irradiated or even Destroyed. Sometimes, if the producer is under NARP, these “treatments” happen before the shipment leaves the foreign country from which it is being shipped and paperwork attesting to that fact is presented. So what is Fumigation? “Fumigation is a method of pest control that completely fills an area with gaseous pesticides-or fumigants-to suffocate or poison the pests within. [Did we say pesticides or fumigants?] It is used to control pests in buildings (structural fumigation), soil, grain, and produce, and is also used during processing of goods to be imported or exported to prevent transfer of exotic organisms.” Does that mean that the USDA Organic avocados from Mexico have been fumigated? If a questionable pest has been identified on the plant, it appears that might have happened. Who knows? I’m not aware of ever seeing a label that says, “This fruit/vegetable was Fumigated before it entered the U.S.” What is Cold Treatment? Cold Treatment is the storage of the fruit or plant in an approved cold storage facility with minimum degrees and numbers of days in cold storage depending on the fruit or vegetable being treated. For example, oranges from Costa Rica require 34 degrees for a minimum of 20 days before entry into the U.S. This treatment procedure is aimed at killing fruit flies. So if an imported USDA Organic crop is to undergo Cold Treatment on the U.S. side of the border, it gets to your local grocery store 20 days later than it would have without the treatment. That’s almost 3 weeks, which makes the “Locally Grown” Label we discussed in Part 1 look even better. What is Hot Treatment?”Hot water dips or heated air can be used for direct control of postharvest insects. In mangoes, an effective treatment is 46.4 C for 65 to 90 minutes, depending on size (Sommer & Arpaia in Kader, 1992). Fruit should not be handled immediately after heat treatment. Whenever heat is used with fresh produce, cool water showers or forced cold air should be provided to help return the fruits to their optimum temperature as soon as possible after completion of the treatment.”(Taken from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Corporate Document Repository) What is Irradiation? We’ve discussed Irradiation before in our April/FOOD REVOLUTION Part 1  Newsletter. But it’s so important, we need to discuss it again below: Aren’t we all eager to eat the food that has passed through the RAD SOURCE?    “Food irradiation is the process of exposing foodstuffs to a source of energy capable of stripping electrons from individual atoms in the targeted material (ionizing radiation).” “The radiation can be emitted by a radioactive substance or generated electrically.” (Definition from Wikipedia) “This treatment is used to preserve food, reduce the risk of food borne illness, prevent the spread of invasive pests, delay or eliminate sprouting or ripening, increase juice yield and improve re-hydration. It is permitted by over 50 countries, with 500,000 metric tons of foodstuffs annually processed worldwide.” (Definition from Wikipedia) “Two things are needed for the irradiation process: a source of radiant energy, and a way to confine that energy. For food irradiation, the sources are radioisotopes (radioactive materials) and machines that produce high-energy beams. Specially constructed containers or compartments are used to confine the beams so personnel won’t be exposed.” But it’s fine to eat what went through this machine??? “Since 1986, all irradiated products must carry the international symbol called a radura, which resembles a stylized flower.” Now that’s interesting because we’re NOT aware of having seen a Radura anywhere or perhaps we have seen them and simply regarded them as a benign new label in the sea of labels. Accompanying the radura are supposed to be these words: “Treated with irradiation or Treated by irradiation” “FDA requires that both the logo and statement appear on packaged foods, bulk containers of unpackaged foods, on placards at the point of purchase (for fresh produce), and on invoices for irradiated ingredients and products sold to food processors.” Really? “Irradiation cannot be used with all foods. It causes undesirable flavor changes in dairy products, for example, and it causes tissue softening in some fruits, such as peaches and nectarines.” Yeah, peaches and nectarines are safe from irradiation! (All quotes in this section taken from a pro irradiation Food Safety Report by Iowa State Extension) If 500,000 metric tons of irradiated food are in the market worldwide, it seems we’d all be well informed about how to avoid this particular food “treatment” menace by looking for the ubiquitous label. At least irradiated food products are supposed to be labeled unlike the non-labeled GMO’s. We’re staging a Radura Watch on our Aquaponics USA Facebook page in November. Please join us, photograph your hits and post them on our/your page. “A major concern is that irradiation might cause chemical changes that are harmful to the consumer. In particular the argument is that there is a lack of long-term studies, and therefore the safety of irradiated food is not scientifically proven in spite of the fact that hundreds of animal feeding studies of irradiated food, including multigenerational studies, have been performed since 1950.” (Quote taken from Wikipedia) Animal studies aren’t human studies unless one sees us as cattle. Follow Food Irradiation Watch for continuing information about this kind of treatment of imported food in the U.S. Beware of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing Here’s the part where our minds are about to be blown, including your’s truly because we’re about to go LOOK at the NATIONAL LIST! We’ve talked about the National List. We’ve Linked to the National List; but we haven’t actually examined the National List. Today is that day. What is the National List? It’s the List of ALL the allowed and prohibited substances, methods and ingredients in Certified USDA Organic products. Below is the List of the ALLOWED items: Read it and WEEP! §205.601  Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production. (a) As algicide, disinfectants, and sanitizer, including irrigation system cleaning systems. (1) Alcohols. (i) Ethanol. (ii) Isopropanol (2) Chlorine materials-For pre-harvest use, residual chlorine levels in the water in direct crop contact or as water from cleaning irrigation systems applied to soil must not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act, except that chlorine products may be used in edible sprout production according to EPA label directions. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (3) Copper sulfate-for use as an algicide in aquatic rice systems, is limited to one application per field during any 24-month period. Application rates are limited to those which do not increase baseline soil test values for copper over a timeframe agreed upon by the producer and accredited certifying agent. (4) Hydrogen peroxide. (5) Ozone gas-for use as an irrigation system cleaner only. (6) Peracetic acid-for use in disinfecting equipment, seed, and asexually propagated planting material. Also permitted in hydrogen peroxide formulations as allowed in §205.601(a) at concentration of no more than 6% as indicated on the pesticide product label. (7) Soap-based algicide/demossers. (8) Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate (CAS #-15630-89-4)-Federal law restricts the use of this substance in food crop production to approved food uses identified on the product label. (b) As herbicides, weed barriers, as applicable. (1) Herbicides, soap-based-for use in farmstead maintenance (roadways, ditches, right of ways, building perimeters) and ornamental crops. (2) Mulches. (i) Newspaper or other recycled paper, without glossy or colored inks. (ii) Plastic mulch and covers (petroleum-based other than polyvinyl chloride (PVC)). (c) As compost feedstocks-Newspapers or other recycled paper, without glossy or colored inks. (d) As animal repellents-Soaps, ammonium-for use as a large animal repellant only, no contact with soil or edible portion of crop. (e) As insecticides (including acaricides or mite control). (1) Ammonium carbonate-for use as bait in insect traps only, no direct contact with crop or soil. (2) Aqueous potassium silicate (CAS #-1312-76-1)-the silica, used in the manufacture of potassium silicate, must be sourced from naturally occurring sand. (3) Boric acid-structural pest control, no direct contact with organic food or crops. (4) Copper sulfate-for use as tadpole shrimp control in aquatic rice production, is limited to one application per field during any 24-month period. Application rates are limited to levels which do not increase baseline soil test values for copper over a timeframe agreed upon by the producer and accredited certifying agent. (5) Elemental sulfur. (6) Lime sulfur-including calcium polysulfide. (7) Oils, horticultural-narrow range oils as dormant, suffocating, and summer oils. (8) Soaps, insecticidal. (9) Sticky traps/barriers. (10) Sucrose octanoate esters (CAS #s-42922-74-7; 58064-47-4)-in accordance with approved labeling. (f) As insect management. Pheromones. (g) As rodenticides. Vitamin D3. (h) As slug or snail bait. Ferric phosphate (CAS # 10045-86-0). (i) As plant disease control. (1) Aqueous potassium silicate (CAS #-1312-76-1)-the silica, used in the manufacture of potassium silicate, must be sourced from naturally occurring sand. (2) Coppers, fixed-copper hydroxide, copper oxide, copper oxychloride, includes products exempted from EPA tolerance, Provided, That, copper-based materials must be used in a manner that minimizes accumulation in the soil and shall not be used as herbicides. (3) Copper sulfate-Substance must be used in a manner that minimizes accumulation of copper in the soil. (4) Hydrated lime. (5) Hydrogen peroxide. (6) Lime sulfur. (7) Oils, horticultural, narrow range oils as dormant, suffocating, and summer oils. (8) Peracetic acid-for use to control fire blight bacteria. Also permitted in hydrogen peroxide formulations as allowed in §205.601(i) at concentration of no more than 6% as indicated on the pesticide product label. (9) Potassium bicarbonate. (10) Elemental sulfur. (11) Streptomycin, for fire blight control in apples and pears only until October 21, 2014. (12) Tetracycline, for fire blight control in apples and pears only until October 21, 2014. (j) As plant or soil amendments. (1) Aquatic plant extracts (other than hydrolyzed)-Extraction process is limited to the use of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide; solvent amount used is limited to that amount necessary for extraction. (2) Elemental sulfur. (3) Humic acids-naturally occurring deposits, water and alkali extracts only. (4) Lignin sulfonate-chelating agent, dust suppressant. (5) Magnesium sulfate-allowed with a documented soil deficiency. (6) Micronutrients-not to be used as a defoliant, herbicide, or desiccant. Those made from nitrates or chlorides are not allowed. Soil deficiency must be documented by testing. (i) Soluble boron products. (ii) Sulfates, carbonates, oxides, or silicates of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and cobalt. (7) Liquid fish products-can be pH adjusted with sulfuric, citric or phosphoric acid. The amount of acid used shall not exceed the minimum needed to lower the pH to 3.5. (8) Vitamins, B1, C, and E. (9) Sulfurous acid (CAS # 7782-99-2) for on-farm generation of substance utilizing 99% purity elemental sulfur per paragraph (j)(2) of this section. (k) As plant growth regulators. Ethylene gas-for regulation of pineapple flowering. (l) As floating agents in postharvest handling. (1) Lignin sulfonate. (2) Sodium silicate-for tree fruit and fiber processing. (m) As synthetic inert ingredients as classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for use with nonsynthetic substances or synthetic substances listed in this section and used as an active pesticide ingredient in accordance with any limitations on the use of such substances. (1) EPA List 4-Inerts of Minimal Concern. (2) EPA List 3-Inerts of unknown toxicity-for use only in passive pheromone dispensers. (n) Seed preparations. Hydrogen chloride (CAS # 7647-01-0)-for delinting cotton seed for planting. (o) As production aids. Microcrystalline cheesewax (CAS #’s 64742-42-3, 8009-03-08, and 8002-74-2)-for use in log grown mushroom production. Must be made without either ethylene-propylene co-polymer or synthetic colors. §205.603   Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production. In accordance with restrictions specified in this section the following synthetic substances may be used in organic livestock production: (a) As disinfectants, sanitizer, and medical treatments as applicable. (1) Alcohols. (i) Ethanol-disinfectant and sanitizer only, prohibited as a feed additive. (ii) Isopropanol-disinfectant only. (2) Aspirin-approved for health care use to reduce inflammation. (3) Atropine (CAS #-51-55-8)-federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires: (i) Use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian; and (ii) A meat withdrawal period of at least 56 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter; and a milk discard period of at least 12 days after administering to dairy animals. (4) Biologics-Vaccines. (5) Butorphanol (CAS #-42408-82-2)-federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires: (i) Use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian; and (ii) A meat withdrawal period of at least 42 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter; and a milk discard period of at least 8 days after administering to dairy animals. (6) Chlorhexidine-Allowed for surgical procedures conducted by a veterinarian. Allowed for use as a teat dip when alternative germicidal agents and/or physical barriers have lost their effectiveness. (7) Chlorine materials-disinfecting and sanitizing facilities and equipment. Residual chlorine levels in the water shall not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act. (i) Calcium hypochlorite. (ii) Chlorine dioxide. (iii) Sodium hypochlorite. (8) Electrolytes-without antibiotics. (9) Flunixin (CAS #-38677-85-9)-in accordance with approved labeling; except that for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires a withdrawal period of at least two-times that required by the FDA. (10) Furosemide (CAS #-54-31-9)-in accordance with approved labeling; except that for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires a withdrawal period of at least two-times that required that required by the FDA. (11) Glucose. (12) Glycerine-Allowed as a livestock teat dip, must be produced through the hydrolysis of fats or oils. (13) Hydrogen peroxide. (14) Iodine. (15) Magnesium hydroxide (CAS #-1309-42-8)-federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian. (16) Magnesium sulfate. (17) Oxytocin-use in postparturition therapeutic applications. (18) Parasiticides-Prohibited in slaughter stock, allowed in emergency treatment for dairy and breeder stock when organic system plan-approved preventive management does not prevent infestation. Milk or milk products from a treated animal cannot be labeled as provided for in subpart D of this part for 90 days following treatment. In breeder stock, treatment cannot occur during the last third of gestation if the progeny will be sold as organic and must not be used during the lactation period for breeding stock. (i) Fenbendazole (CAS #43210-67-9)-only for use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian. (ii) Ivermectin (CAS #70288-86-7). (iii) Moxidectin (CAS #113507-06-5)-for control of internal parasites only. (19) Peroxyacetic/peracetic acid (CAS #-79-21-0)-for sanitizing facility and processing equipment. (20) Phosphoric acid-allowed as an equipment cleaner, Provided, That, no direct contact with organically managed livestock or land occurs. (21) Poloxalene (CAS #-9003-11-6)-for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires that poloxalene only be used for the emergency treatment of bloat. (22) Tolazoline (CAS #-59-98-3)-federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires: (i) Use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian; (ii) Use only to reverse the effects of sedation and analgesia caused by Xylazine; and (iii) A meat withdrawal period of at least 8 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter; and a milk discard period of at least 4 days after administering to dairy animals. (23) Xylazine (CAS #-7361-61-7)-federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the lawful written or oral order of a licensed veterinarian, in full compliance with the AMDUCA and 21 CFR part 530 of the Food and Drug Administration regulations. Also, for use under 7 CFR part 205, the NOP requires: (i) Use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian; (ii) The existence of an emergency; and (iii) A meat withdrawal period of at least 8 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter; and a milk discard period of at least 4 days after administering to dairy animals. (b) As topical treatment, external parasiticide or local anesthetic as applicable. (1) Copper sulfate. (2) Formic acid (CAS # 64-18-6)-for use as a pesticide solely within honeybee hives. (3) Iodine. (4) Lidocaine-as a local anesthetic. Use requires a withdrawal period of 90 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter and 7 days after administering to dairy animals. (5) Lime, hydrated-as an external pest control, not permitted to cauterize physical alterations or deodorize animal wastes. (6) Mineral oil-for topical use and as a lubricant. (7) Procaine-as a local anesthetic, use requires a withdrawal period of 90 days after administering to livestock intended for slaughter and 7 days after administering to dairy animals. (8) Sucrose octanoate esters (CAS #s-42922-74-7; 58064-47-4)-in accordance with approved labeling. (c) As feed supplements-None. (d) As feed additives. (1) DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog calcium (CAS #’s 59-51-8, 583-91-5, 4857-44-7, and 922-50-9)-for use only in organic poultry production at the following maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: Laying and broiler chickens-2 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry-3 pounds. (2) Trace minerals, used for enrichment or fortification when FDA approved. (3) Vitamins, used for enrichment or fortification when FDA approved. (e) As synthetic inert ingredients as classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for use with nonsynthetic substances or synthetic substances listed in this section and used as an active pesticide ingredient in accordance with any limitations on the use of such substances. (1) EPA List 4-Inerts of Minimal Concern. (2) [Reserved] (f) Excipients, only for use in the manufacture of drugs used to treat organic livestock when the excipient is: Identified by the FDA as Generally Recognized As Safe; Approved by the FDA as a food additive; or Included in the FDA review and approval of a New Animal Drug Application or New Drug Application. §205.605   Nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances allowed as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)).” The following nonagricultural substances may be used as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))” only in accordance with any restrictions specified in this section. (a) Nonsynthetics allowed: Acids (Alginic; Citric-produced by microbial fermentation of carbohydrate substances; and Lactic). Agar-agar. Animal enzymes-(Rennet-animals derived; Catalase-bovine liver; Animal lipase; Pancreatin; Pepsin; and Trypsin). Attapulgite-as a processing aid in the handling of plant and animal oils. Bentonite. Calcium carbonate. Calcium chloride. Calcium sulfate-mined. Carrageenan. Dairy cultures. Diatomaceous earth-food filtering aid only. Egg white lysozyme (CAS # 9001-63-2) Enzymes-must be derived from edible, nontoxic plants, nonpathogenic fungi, or nonpathogenic bacteria. Flavors, nonsynthetic sources only and must not be produced using synthetic solvents and carrier systems or any artificial preservative. Gellan gum (CAS # 71010-52-1)-high-acyl form only. Glucono delta-lactone-production by the oxidation of D-glucose with bromine water is prohibited. Kaolin. L-Malic acid (CAS # 97-67-6). Magnesium sulfate, nonsynthetic sources only. Microorganisms-any food grade bacteria, fungi, and other microorganism. Nitrogen-oil-free grades. Oxygen-oil-free grades. Perlite-for use only as a filter aid in food processing. Potassium chloride. Potassium iodide. Sodium bicarbonate. Sodium carbonate. Tartaric acid-made from grape wine. Waxes-nonsynthetic (Carnauba wax; and Wood resin). Yeast-When used as food or a fermentation agent in products labeled as “organic,” yeast must be organic if its end use is for human consumption; nonorganic yeast may be used when organic yeast is not commercially available. Growth on petrochemical substrate and sulfite waste liquor is prohibited. For smoked yeast, nonsynthetic smoke flavoring process must be documented. (b) Synthetics allowed: Acidified sodium chlorite-Secondary direct antimicrobial food treatment and indirect food contact surface sanitizing. Acidified with citric acid only. Activated charcoal (CAS #s 7440-44-0; 64365-11-3)-only from vegetative sources; for use only as a filtering aid. Alginates. Ammonium bicarbonate-for use only as a leavening agent. Ammonium carbonate-for use only as a leavening agent. Ascorbic acid. Calcium citrate. Calcium hydroxide. Calcium phosphates (monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic). Carbon dioxide. Cellulose-for use in regenerative casings, as an anti-caking agent (non-chlorine bleached) and filtering aid. Chlorine materials-disinfecting and sanitizing food contact surfaces, Except, That, residual chlorine levels in the water shall not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act (Calcium hypochlorite; Chlorine dioxide; and Sodium hypochlorite). Cyclohexylamine (CAS # 108-91-8)-for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization. Diethylaminoethanol (CAS # 100-37-8)-for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization. Ethylene-allowed for postharvest ripening of tropical fruit and degreening of citrus. Ferrous sulfate-for iron enrichment or fortification of foods when required by regulation or recommended (independent organization). Glycerides (mono and di)-for use only in drum drying of food. Glycerin-produced by hydrolysis of fats and oils. Hydrogen peroxide. Magnesium carbonate-for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”. Magnesium chloride-derived from sea water. Magnesium stearate-for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”. Nutrient vitamins and minerals, in accordance with 21 CFR 104.20, Nutritional Quality Guidelines For Foods. Octadecylamine (CAS # 124-30-1)-for use only as a boiler water additive for packaging sterilization. Ozone. Peracetic acid/Peroxyacetic acid (CAS # 79-21-0)-for use in wash and/or rinse water according to FDA limitations. For use as a sanitizer on food contact surfaces. Phosphoric acid-cleaning of food-contact surfaces and equipment only. Potassium acid tartrate. Potassium carbonate. Potassium citrate. Potassium hydroxide-prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables except when used for peeling peaches. Potassium phosphate-for use only in agricultural products labeled “made with organic (specific ingredients or food group(s)),” prohibited in agricultural products labeled “organic”. Silicon dioxide-Permitted as a defoamer. Allowed for other uses when organic rice hulls are not commercially available. Sodium acid pyrophosphate (CAS # 7758-16-9)-for use only as a leavening agent. Sodium citrate. Sodium hydroxide-prohibited for use in lye peeling of fruits and vegetables. Sodium phosphates-for use only in dairy foods. Sulfur dioxide-for use only in wine labeled “made with organic grapes,” Provided, That, total sulfite concentration does not exceed 100 ppm. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate (CAS # 7722-88-5)-for use only in meat analog products. Tocopherols-derived from vegetable oil when rosemary extracts are not a suitable alternative. Xanthan gum. §205.606   Nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic.” Only the following nonorganically produced agricultural products may be used as ingredients in or on processed products labeled as “organic,” only in accordance with any restrictions specified in this section, and only when the product is not commercially available in organic form. (a) Casings, from processed intestines. (b) Celery powder. (c) Chia (Salvia hispanica L.). (d) Colors derived from agricultural products-Must not be produced using synthetic solvents and carrier systems or any artificial preservative. (1) Beet juice extract color (pigment CAS #7659-95-2). (2) Beta-carotene extract color-derived from carrots or algae (pigment CAS# 7235-40-7). (3) Black currant juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (4) Black/Purple carrot juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (5) Blueberry juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (6) Carrot juice color (pigment CAS #1393-63-1). (7) Cherry juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (8) Chokeberry-Aronia juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (9) Elderberry juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (10) Grape juice color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (11) Grape skin extract color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (12) Paprika color (CAS #68917-78-2)-dried, and oil extracted. (13) Pumpkin juice color (pigment CAS #127-40-2). (14) Purple potato juice (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (15) Red cabbage extract color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (16) Red radish extract color (pigment CAS #’s: 528-58-5, 528-53-0, 643-84-5, 134-01-0, 1429-30-7, and 134-04-3). (17) Saffron extract color (pigment CAS #1393-63-1). (18) Turmeric extract color (CAS #458-37-7). (e) Dillweed oil (CAS # 8006-75-5). (f) Fish oil (Fatty acid CAS #’s: 10417-94-4, and 25167-62-8)-stabilized with organic ingredients or only with ingredients on the National List, §§205.605 and 205.606. (g) Fortified cooking wines. (1) Marsala. (2) Sherry. (h) Fructooligosaccharides (CAS # 308066-66-2). (i) Galangal, frozen. (j) Gelatin (CAS # 9000-70-8). (k) Gums-water extracted only (Arabic; Guar; Locust bean; and Carob bean). (l) Hops (Humulus lupulus) until January 1, 2013. (m) Inulin-oligofructose enriched (CAS # 9005-80-5). (n) Kelp-for use only as a thickener and dietary supplement. (o) Konjac flour (CAS # 37220-17-0). (p) Lecithin-de-oiled. (q) Lemongrass-frozen. (r) Orange pulp, dried. (s) Orange shellac-unbleached (CAS # 9000-59-3). (t) Pectin (non-amidated forms only). (u) Peppers (Chipotle chile). (v) Seaweed, Pacific kombu. Starches. (1) Cornstarch (native). (2) Rice starch, unmodified (CAS # 977000-08-0)-for use in organic handling until June 21, 2009. (3) Sweet potato starch-for bean thread production only. (x) Tragacanth gum (CAS #-9000-65-1). (y) Turkish bay leaves. (z) Wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida). (aa) Whey protein concentrate. To see the National List for yourself, just click the words. Don’t despair. Anyone can petition to amend the National List. If you’ve found a substance that is of particular concern, just follow the step by step process below and see where it gets you. §205.607   Amending the National List. (a) Any person may petition the National Organic Standard Board for the purpose of having a substance evaluated by the Board for recommendation to the Secretary for inclusion on or deletion from the National List in accordance with the Act. (b) A person petitioning for amendment of the National List should request a copy of the petition procedures from the USDA at the address in §205.607(c). (c) A petition to amend the National List must be submitted to: Program Manager, USDA/AMS/TMP/NOP, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4008-So., Ag Stop 0268, Washington, DC 20250. Is it any wonder, we’re saying that “Aquaganic™” fruits and vegetables have a real chance of being accepted by the “power shoppers” once they realize what the USDA Label really is and isn’t? This data was current up to September 17, 2014; but, unfortunately, because the NOSB (National Organic Standards Board) has been co-opted by Big Food, the result of which has been many substances added to this National List with more substances being added, more often, there have, most likely, been several new substances added since the current posted date of September 17th, 2014. The great fear is that GMO’s will be allowed; and that will kill the USDA Certified Organic Label completely. Don’t miss:  The Organic Industry in the U.S. Part 3 Coming in November: USDA Organic MEXICO MEXICO imports USDA Organic produce to the U.S. What are the rules? What is the outcome?  This is an amazing story. Be sure to read our November Newsletter. What is The Dirty Dozen Plus? In spite of all the negative press we’ve been giving USDA Organic Food, it’s still superior to pesticide laden and GMO Food. Here’s an eye opening List from the Environmental Working Group that shares some very disturbing news about some of our favorite fruits and vegetables when it comes to their pesticide residue contents. The fruits and vegetables that retain the most pesticides are actually on a well-known List called “The Dirty Dozen”; and you’re not going to like what you see. THE DIRTY DOZEN listed by most pesticide residues: 1. Apples 2. Strawberries 3. Grapes 4. Celery 5. Peaches 6. Spinach 7. Sweet Bell Peppers 8. Nectarines (Imported) 9. Cucumbers 10. Cherry Tomatoes 11. Snap Peas (Imported) 12. Potatoes It is highly recommended that you buy Organic or NCO (Non-Certified Organic) when it comes to these twelve fruits and vegetables. In terms of the image above, there are only three fruits and vegetables that are further down on the List. They are carrots at #22, Oranges at #31 and Bananas at #32 out of a total of 51 placements on the List. To get more information about the dangers of eating pesticide laden food, go to the Environmental Working Group site. Thank you for following our Second Series about The Organic Industry in the U.S. Please check back for Part 3 of this Series, USDA Organic MEXICO. Sustainably, Aquaponics USA/World

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FOOD REVOLUTION PART 2

From:	Aquaponics USA and Aquaponics World, LLC <urbanfarmer@aquaponicsusa.com>
Subject:	May 2014 Newsletter
Reply:	urbanfarmer@aquaponicsusa.com

This is a copy of our May Newsletter, which is Part 2 of a 4 Part Series on the FOOD REVOLUTION. Part 3, which is being posted shortly has Links to all three Parts of this important story about the FOOD REVOLUTION.

 

May Newsletter, 2014 Number 5 Table of Contents Who is the Guinea Pig for the BioTechs? We The People Are Let Them Eat Poison Choose REAL FOOD The Revolutionaries–Jeffrey Smith The Documentaries–Genetic Roulette The Revolutionaries–Dr. Dean Ornish The Revolutionaries–Dr. Vandana Shiva The Revolutionaries–Jamie Oliver The Revolutionaries–John and Ocean Robbins The Revolutionaries–Joel Salatin The Revolutionaries–Alice Waters The Revolutionaries–Mike Adams The Revolutionaries–Dr. Gabriel Cousens The Revolutionaries–David Wolfe The Revolutionaries–Murray Hallam National Geographic Magazine Cover–The New Food Revolution What’s Coming in June–FOOD REVOLUTION Part 3 A Word from our Editor, Grace Sylke It’s been touch and go; but here it is, our fifth consecutive Newsletter, which I thought was going to be a two-Part Series; but it just turned into a 3-Part Series. You’re not going to want to miss Part 3 where we delineate the Battle Fields and talk about the Adversaries, which are legion. Important Links Aquaponics USA Aquaponics World Genetic Roulette Fresh Aquaponics USA Blog Aquaponics USA TV The FOOD REVOLUTION! Part 2:   What is it? Why is it? Who are the Revolutionaries? See our April Newsletter for Part 1: History   See our  June Newsletter for Part 3: The Battlegrounds and the Adversaries   Dear Subscriber:   The Food Revolution is a multi-faceted insurgency rebelling against the industrialization of  the World’s food production over the last 70 years. Those who are proponents of the Food Revolution are determined to reaffirm our right to eat healthy, nutritious, locally grown food that is not laden with chemicals, pesticides and GMO’s.    Some of our mottos like: “Taking Our Food Back” in which the word “Taking” is an acronym for “The Assured Knowing It’s Naturally Grown”, “NO to GMO’s” in which the GMO’s stands for Genetically Modified Organisms, “Real Food” and “Right to Know” are slowly seeping into the mainstream consciousness.   It’s becoming widely known that food and health are intricately interconnected in spite of the embarrassing fact that in the 21st Century, doctors in the U.S. still get less than 25 hours of nutritional training as a prerequisite for receiving their licenses to diagnose and treat diseases in the human body. It’s also becoming widely known that Americans are the most unhealthy people on the planet. A recent study at the National Academy of Sciences found we die sooner than people in 16 other developed countries due to drug abuse, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and lung disease to name just a few of the causes of our early demise. The U.S. Population has been designated as one of the Guinea Pigs for the BioTechs! Several nations have declined the offer. These sad statistics are understandable once you realize the U.S. was the flash point for the industrialization of food, which  started on a grand scale after World War II. We were also one of the first populations to unknowingly ingest genetically modified organisms, which were brought into our food supply in the mid 1990’s without us having one word to say about whether or not we wanted to serve as the guinea pig for the grand GMO experiment. GMO’s have been in our food for nearly 20 years, and we’re still fighting for the right to know which foods contain them so we can choose whether or not we want to eat them and remain on the biotech’s experimental treadmill. Let Them Eat Any Damn Thing We Choose to Put in Their Food and Keep it a Secret! Because we’ve been given a pass by our U.S. Food Safety Czar, Michael Taylor, a former VP of Monsanto. That must mean Monsanto runs the FDA! It’s our prediction that by 2020, given the success of the Food Revolutionaries, we’ll look back at the practice of medicine, the mass production of food, the use of GMO’s and the collusion between our enforcement agencies like the FDA and big corporations like Monsanto as the Dark Ages with Monsanto standing in for Marie Antoinette and her infamous line: “Let them eat Cake”. In Monsanto’s case it’s “Let them eat Agent Orange”, OOPS, I mean “Glyphosate”, which is one of the toxic ingredients in Monsanto’s weed killer, Round Up.  “. . .one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty [to Choose what’s in our food] and justice for all.”                             CHOOSE REAL FOOD!                          The People of Vermont Did IT!                           We Can All Do IT! The Food Revolution has arisen for the same reasons every revolution arises–to bring drastic CHANGE. The word “Revolution” is from the Latin word, “Revolutio”, which mean “a turn around”. Revolutions trigger “a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that take place in a relatively short period of time.” (Wikipedia) In the case of the Food Revolution, it’s about putting food production back in the hands of the people and taking it away from the mega corporations that have turned food into processed poisons that bolster their bottom lines. The Food Revolutionaries are just plain sick and tired of being sick and tired; and they aren’t going to take it anymore. We’re giving you a list of the Revolutionaries below; but you’ll need to do your homework to learn more about who they are and what they’re doing. The Revolutionaries include: #1 Mr. Jeffrey Smith Meet Jeffrey Smith, a tireless Activist and “the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier non-GMO choices, Jeffrey Smith’s meticulous research documents how biotech companies continue to mislead legislators and safety officials to put the health of society at risk and the environment in peril. His work expertly summarizes why the safety assessments conducted by the FDA and regulators worldwide teeter on a foundation of outdated science and false assumptions, and why genetically engineered foods must urgently become our nation’s top food safety priority.” (From About Jeffrey) Don’t miss Jeffrey Smith’s Award Winning Film, “Genetic Roulette, The Gamble of Our Lives”, it’s a Must See if you’re a budding Food Revolutionary! And now you can purchase it at Whole Foods. It’s received the 2012 Movie of the Year (Solari Report) and the Transformational Film of the Year (Aware Guide) Award. Along with his Assistant Writer and Associate Producer, Samm Simpson, Jeffrey links genetically engineered food to toxic and allergic reactions, infertility, digestive disorders, and numerous problems that have been on the rise in the US population since genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were introduced. It’s a mind altering experience. It might even make you mad enough to join the movement. Here’s the Trailer: Genetic Roulette Movie Trailer The Revolutionaries include: #2 Dr. Dean Ornish  “For over 35 years, Dr. Ornish has directed clinical research demonstrating, for the first time, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may begin to reverse even severe coronary heart disease, without drugs or surgery.  Recently, Medicare agreed to provide coverage for this program, the first time that Medicare has covered a program of comprehensive lifestyle changes.  He directed the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating that comprehensive lifestyle changes may stop or reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer.  His current research showed that comprehensive lifestyle changes affect gene expression, “turning on” disease-preventing genes and “turning off” genes that promote cancer and heart disease, as well as increasing telomerase, an enzyme that lengthens telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes which control aging (in collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2009). He is the author of six books, all national bestsellers, including: Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease; Eat More, Weigh Less; Love & Survival; and his most recent book, The Spectrum.” Watch his famous TED Talk below: Dean Ornish: The world’s killer diet The Revolutionaries include:  #3 Dr. Vandana Shiva Dr. Vandana Shiva has fought for changes in the practice and paradigms of agriculture and food. In the photo above, she is campaigning for California’s mandatory labeling of GMO’s Measure that was defeated in November 2012 after Monsanto, Dupont, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Kraft and the Grocery Manufacturers Association spent a combined 22 million to fool Californians into thinking the price of food was going to rise if mandatory labeling of GMO’s was passed. Vandana Shiva  has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland, and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering. In 1982, she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, which led to the creation of Navdanya in 1991, a national movement to protect the diversity and integrity of living resources, especially native seed, the promotion of organic farming and fair trade. She has many talks posted on YouTube. Below is a link to one called: Vandana Shiva on the Problem with Genetically-Modified Seeds The Revolutionaries include: #4 Jamie Oliver Jamie Oliver is fiery Brit who came to the U.S. to help us deal with our abysmal health challenges. He was the first one to coin the term “Food Revolution” in his ABC TV Series by that name that debuted on March 21, 2010. The show, which was produced by English chef Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest, followed Oliver as he attempted to reform the school lunch programs, help American society fight obesity and change their eating habits in order to live healthier and longer lives. The series had its UK premiere on Channel 4 on September 13, 2010. The Greek premiere was on Fox Life Greece on November 2010. The premiere in Italy was on Raisat Gambero Rosso Channel in January 2011. The show was cancelled in the U.S. the summer of 2011 because a calcitrant school Board Member in the LA School District refused to cooperate with Jamie and his production team. If you don’t watch anything else on TV, catch a few of the  episodes that were aired on this incredible reality TV show at: Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution You can also watch this reality series on YouTube. Here’s Part 1 of the first episode from YouTube. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Episode 1 Part 1 Above Jamie declared a Food Revolution Day for May 16, 2014 and is sponsoring a FREE Cooking Classroom in the San Diego Area from May 10-31, 2014. Sign up for the Cooking Classroom today. The Revolutionaries Include: #5 & #6 John and Ocean Robbins John and his son, Ocean, Robbins founded The Food Revolution Network, which is an online-based education and advocacy-driven initiative committed to healthy, sustainable, humane and conscious food for all. Guided by John and Ocean Robbins, with more than 100,000 members and with the collaboration of many of the top food revolutionary leaders of our times, the Food Revolution Network aims to empower individuals, build community, and transform food systems to support healthy people and a healthy planet. Together, they have sponsored three annual Food Revolution Summits featuring an A-List of top people in the world of healthy food advocacy. If you really want to be up on who are the movers and the shakers among the Food Revolutionaries, go to the 2014 Food Revolution Summit Page and scroll to the bottom to get your empowerment package. Watch the Video Introduction to The Food Revolution Network below: A Welcome Message from John and Ocean Robbins The Revolutionaries Include: #7 Joel Salatin Joel F. Salatin is an American farmer, lecturer, and author whose books include “Folks, This Ain’t Normal”, “You Can Farm” and “Salad Bar Beef”. Salatin raises livestock using holistic management methods of animal husbandry, free of potentially harmful chemicals, on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Meat from the farm is sold by direct-marketing to consumers and restaurants. Joel’s Polyface Farms and his down home and straight-forward demeanor was first debuted in a beautiful documentary called “Fresh” that was made in 2009. From there, he spun off to become one of the most outspoken critics of factory farming and the use of drugs and harmful chemicals in modern day farming practices. One of his monikers is his use of phrases like: “The chicken-ness of the chicken” “The cow-ness of the cow” To indicate the importance of feeding animals what they naturally eat not some concocted mixture of food and antibiotics that is not part of their natural diet.  Below is the Trailer for “Fresh” Fresh The Movie – Official Trailer Below is his “You Can Farm E-School: An Online Semester with Joel Salatin.” Joel Salatin Semester – Pastured Poultry Lesson You’re going to love this guy. The Revolutionaries include: #8 Alice Waters Here she is, Alice Waters, the mother of the movement with one of her best selling books, “The Art Of Simple Food”. “Alice Louise Waters is an American chef, restaurateur, activist, and author. She is the owner of Chez Panisse, a Berkeley, California restaurant famous for its organic, locally-grown ingredients and for pioneering California cuisine.   Waters opened the restaurant in 1971. It was consistently ranked among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants from 2002 to 2008. Waters has been cited as one of the most influential figures in food in the past 50 years, and has been called the mother of American food. She is currently one of the most visible supporters of the organic food movement, and has been a proponent of organics for over 40 years. Waters believes that eating organic foods, free from herbicides and pesticides, is essential for both taste and the health of the environment and local communities.” (Wikipedia) Ms. Waters single handed spearheaded the School Garden Program, which she called the Edible Schoolyard program at the Martin Luther King Middle School in Berkeley, California. She serves as a public policy advocate on the national level for school lunch reform and universal access to healthy, organic foods, and the impact of her organic and healthy food revolution. Another one of her famous books is named after that program, “Edible Schoolyard”. Below is the 60 Minutes Segment that focused on Alice Waters: 60 Minutes – Alice Waters She’s a living legend. The Revolutionaries include: #9 Mike Adams, The Health Ranger Mike Adams, known as The Health Ranger, is an outspoken Activist and Author. His website, Natural News, is dedicated to alternative medicine and various health concerns such as chemtrails, the dangers of fluoride in drinking water, monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame and health problems caused by “toxic” ingredients in vaccines. He features guest authors such as anti-vaccinationists Joseph Mercola and and Jon Rappoport. Mike works tirelessly to promote alternative medicine over pharmaceuticals and follows questionable activities perpetrated by the FDA swat teams that have been raiding raw milk farms and pig farms in the recent past under the guise of protecting Americans while GMO’s are allowed to flood the market unlabeled. Watch his introduction YouTube Video for his new website called SCIENCE.naturalnews.com below: SCIENCE.naturalnews.com announced by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger The Revolutionaries include: #10 Dr. Gabriel Cousens Dr. Gabriel Cousens is an American physician M.D., homeopath, and spiritual writer who practices holistic medicine. Cousens advocates live foods therapy, a nutritional regimen which he says can cure diabetes, depression and other chronic degenerative diseases.   He is the founder of the “Essene Order of Light”, an offshoot of a New Age religion based upon modern interpretations of the Essenes, an ancient Jewish sect, teachings from the Jewish Kabbalah and the Torah, and Hindu beliefs. Essene Order of Light is taught by Cousens at “Tree of Life Foundation”, an organization directed by Cousens and headquartered at its “Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center” in Patagonia, Arizona.   Cousens has written books, made movies and tours internationally promoting his ideas on food and his spiritual beliefs. Below is a YouTube Video of Gabriel discussing his movie, “Simply Raw:Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days”. Green Lifestyle Film Festival “Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days” Below is the Trailer for the documentary, “Simply Raw”. Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days Trailer The Revolutionaries include: #11 David Wolfe “David Wolfe is the rock star of the superfoods and longevity world, America’s TOP CEOs, Global Ambassadors, Hollywood celebrities, busy professionals, and even the most powerful buying influence in the nation-Moms-all look to David for expert advice in health, beauty, herbalism, nutrition and chocolate! David is co-founder of TheBestDayEver.com online health magazine and is President of The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation with a mission to plant 18 billion fruit trees on planet Earth.   With over 20 years of dedicated experience and understanding of the inner workings of the human body, David is a true living master of what it means to “walk the talk” on the road to higher and higher levels of natural beauty, vibrant health, and peak-performance.   David is the author of many best-selling books including Eating for Beauty, The Sunfood Diet Success System, Naked Chocolate, Amazing Grace, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future, and Chaga: King of the Medicinal Mushrooms. His latest book, Longevity Now, shares a multi-faceted approach to rejuvenation, beauty and radiant health. David empowers and inspires people to take charge of their own health because. After all, your health is your wealth!” (From davidwolfe.com/about)   Watch this YouTube Video by David Wolfe on the important subject of inflammation. David Wolfe on Inflammation   The Revolutionaries include: #12 Murray Hallam Murray Hallam is the Founder and Director of Practical Aquaponics, an all-around Aquaponics company working out of Australia and offering Kits, System Plans and DVD’s. For many, he is regarded as the father of Aquaponics and has mentored a growing bevy of up and coming Aquaponics entrepreneurs including our own system designer, Oliver Duffy. Murray himself has become an international image and influence in the field of Aquaponics through his consulting services, his seminars, workshops and popular DVD’s on the subject. Watch this 60 Minutes Australia segment about Aquaponics featuring Murray and his company Practical Aquaponics: 60 Minutes Australia – Food Security – Aquaponics We’re not the only folks talking about the Food Revolution this Month. Be sure to check out the National Geographic May Issue entitled: THE NEW FOOD REVOLUTION. The article inside poses this question: Where will we find enough food for 9 billion?   It goes on to propose that “It doesn’t have to be industrial farms versus small, organic ones. There’s another way and lists the “Five-Step Plan to Feed the World”. Those steps include: 1. Freeze agriculture’s footprint 2. Grow more on farms we’ve got 3. Use resources more efficiently 4. Shift diets 5. Reduce waste We recommend you check out this article and see if you agree with the Five-Step Plan. We have mixed feelings. The good news, National Geographic is addressing the most important topic on the planet–our FOOD. Look for FOOD REVOLUTION Part 3 in our June Newsletter   You’ll learn:   1. About The Battlefields   2. About the Adversaries Fighting Against our Revolutionaries.  In every war there are at least two sides and sometimes more. This war is no different. The FOOD REVOLUTION is a War for the right of the people to be SOVEREIGN EATERS of SAFE Food. This is a serious FOOD FIGHT. We are fighting for our rights to have clean, safe, nutritious food in a clean, safe environment; and we’re determined to TAKE BACK OUR FOOD! Be sure to watch for our June Newsletter, which will continue this look at the FOOD REVOLUTION! This time it’s We the People of the World! This time we’re ALL Fighting for  FOOD FREEDOM! We have featured 12 Revolutionaries in the FOOD REVOLUTION; and we’re sorry we can’t keep going because we’re leaving out many. Do your Home Work, find out who the others are and start supporting ALL of them. These Heros and Heroines are the ones standing between the rest of us eating fake food filled with more and more toxins as we line the coffers of the Big Agra, Big Chema and Big Pharma companies who have taken over our food supply while we stand around the coffins of our fallen loved ones who are dying from chronic diseases that could have been prevented with proper education and “REAL FOOD”. Thank You for joining us in this look at the FOOD REVOLUTION We hope to see you again in June for Part 3 Until then, Be Healthy and Strong We Will Prevail Aquaponics USA/Aquaponics World                   Here’s that 10% Discount only for our Subscribers. This one is good until June 30th. It’s the perfect time of year to start a Food Forever™ Growing System garden. This Coupon is good for Food Forever™ Growing Systems only.

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