Don’t Believe Everything You Read! Big Agriculture has Been Found To Be Behind Cornell Alliance for Science

It is sad that we live in a day and age where we cannot believe what we read, but yet again there is another organization that has proven to be backed by the big agrochemical companies that run our industrialized farming system. On October 7th, the U.S. Right to Know posted an article exposing the fact that the Cornell Alliance for Science, is actually being backed by companies like Monsanto/Bayer and DowDuPont. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave the organization a 14 million funding endowment, but the person in charge, Rob Horsch, previously worked for Monsanto!

They are using the Cornell University name, and fooling people into thinking that they are supporting sustainable practices and scientific solutions to problems within our food system. Instead, they are promoting the agenda of agrochemical companies and giving the public unreliable and unscientific information.

According the fact sheet presented by ‘U.S. Right to Know’, this is the agenda of the organization: 

“The mission of Cornell Alliance for Science – to build a global movement of “agricultural champions” to “advocate for access” to genetically engineered crops – is strikingly similar to the mission of the main trade group that promotes the interests of the world’s largest agricultural chemical companies. The Council for Biotechnology Information, which is funded by BASF, Bayer/Monsanto, DowDuPont and Syngenta, describes its agenda to “promote acceptance” of agricultural biotechnology by getting “external voices” to “understand and accept the positive role” of genetic engineering.

The main activity of the Cornell Alliance for Science appears to be training and supporting its Global Leadership Fellows – many of whom are journalists or marketing specialists² – to conduct public relations and political advocacy that aligns with the agrochemical industry’s agenda. Geographical areas of focus have included African countries, where Alliance members urged countries to accept GMO crops and pesticides; and the Hawaiian Islands, where Alliance members opposed community efforts to regulate pesticides.” 

It is important that organizations like these are exposed, but also that people know this kind of false information is out there. As consumers, we need to learn to follow the trail of money, read the small print in studies, and figure out which organizations can be trusted to give us accurate, non-bias information. 

Food Insecure Neighborhoods are Teaching Kids to Grow Their Own Food in School 

Photo Credit: Curbed NY

Many urban areas have created what many are calling food deserts, or food swamps, which are areas that have scarce or NO access to healthy, fresh food. These are usually low income neighborhoods in big cities, where there are only bodegas and fast food chains in close proximity to the low income housing. New York City is working to fight this issue, by converting unused classrooms, science labs, and empty closets into hydroponic gardens that the kids are learning to grow and maintain crops in. This is not the first time the city has converted urban space into growing space, but it is the first time kids are learning how to do it in schools. The project is run through the non-profit group Teens for Food Justice . Kathy Soll, the founder of Teens for Food Justice was my guest on PRN, back in 2016, and it’s so nice to see how the program is growing. The first location was at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, and now there are over 300 kids that are participating in the program. They learn to grow the produce from seeds, and harvest it, and then get to eat it in the cafeteria at lunchtime! Any leftover produce is sold at farmers markets to the surrounding community. Stephen Ritz, with the Green Bronx Machine is also teaching kids how to grow vegetables, and changing their lives!

Right now the yield is impressive. Curbed noted that: The student farmers at the program’s three locations manage to raise an impressive annual harvest of leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers: DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx grows 25,000 pounds of produce a year, Brownsville Collaborative Middle School in Brooklyn brings in 15,000 pounds, and Brooklyn’s Urban Assembly Unison School nets 3,000 pounds.” 

Lemon Water is A Simple Way to Help Many Common Problems

The benefits of healthier eating have been the topic of discussion for many years now. There is always a new diet trend circulating that promotes many different benefits, but many are difficult to follow or to see the results. What if there was a simple way to help with a myriad of issues, that didn’t require dieting? An article from ECOWATCH recently has come out talking about the benefits of lemon water, yes you heard that right. Water infused with lemon juice and lemon wedges! It is a simple way to start your day! Some of the benefits include: increased hydration, acid control to aid with digestion and create an alkaline PH in your body, boosting your immune system, great source of potassium, beneficial in brain, heart and bone health, a natural breath odor control, reduction of inflammation because of antioxidants, and helping reduce bloating. It is a simple change that is easy to do, and the benefits can last a lifetime!