Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

forest444

(5,902 posts)
Mon Jan 25, 2016, 11:40 PM Jan 2016

Bernie Sanders vows to protect organic farming, calls out Monsanto as presidential campaign heats up

Unlike most of the top candidates, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders has a long history of speaking out against big corporations, factory farming, and the Biotech giants.

As early as 1994 he was fighting against companies such as Monsanto using chemicals that impact human and animal health. He was also one of the few senators that introduced the Farm Bill that would require labeling of any genetically engineered ingredients in food.

Unlike former Secretary Hillary Clinton, who fully supports GMOs, Sanders believes that the biotech companies are “transforming our agricultural system in a bad way.” He says that he stands for the right of the people to know what is in our food (through mandatory GMO labeling that he helped pass in Vermont, an effort that the GMO giants are trying to block through the DARK Act) and supports family-owned and organic agriculture.

During a private dinner event on December 27th, Sanders spoke about how to make sure our food is healthy and our farming is ethical, as well as other big issues that his campaign stands for. “The debate should be: how do we make sure that the food our kids are eating is healthy food. And having the courage to take on these huge food and biotech companies who are transforming our agricultural system in a bad way,” he said. Sanders also criticized the fossil fuel industry, saying it’s past due time we start to shift toward renewable and alternative energy.

He went on to describe the food scene in his home state, where organic farming and farmer’s markets are becoming commonplace. “We have hundreds of farmers markets (in Vermont), you’ll find people buying food, beef and poultry directly from farmers, and there’s a growing farm to school pipeline,” he said. “It’s something we’ve worked very hard on and I think all over this country people are concerned about the quality of food their kids are eating.”

Sanders went on to talk about how his own additions to the Farm Bill would help make this vision a reality for people across the country, and also called out Monsanto on a key food and GMO-related topic that is being completely ignored by the mainstream media once again.

He also gets a few shots in against the factory farm industry. “We need legislation and efforts designed not to protect factory farming, corporate farming but to protect family-based agriculture,” he said.

At: http://jbanews.com/2016/01/26/bernie-sanders-vows-to-protect-organic-farming-calls-out-monsanto-as-presidential-campaign-heats-up/

3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bernie Sanders vows to protect organic farming, calls out Monsanto as presidential campaign heats up (Original Post) forest444 Jan 2016 OP
yes DivenParker Feb 2016 #1
Hear, hear. forest444 Feb 2016 #2
Economic Activism BarbaraChipps Apr 2019 #3
Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»Economic Activism and Progressive Living»Bernie Sanders vows to pr...