The Hidden Harvest – UNEXPECTED?

The Hidden Harvest – UNEXPECTED?

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/07/30/truth-about-grains-in-our-food-system.aspx?ui=aae9f11958e6b4e2768f6f9ec6bc5004d026aaa9843906d7ff20e8c8e89e2102&sd=20221129&cid_source=dnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1HL&cid=20240730_HL2&foDate=false&mid=DM1608961&rid=85532531

PDF: https://media.mercola.com/ImageServer/Public/2024/July/PDF/truth-about-grains-in-our-food-system-pdf.pdf

  • […] “’Non-GMO’ labeling does not mean chemical-free farming. These crops may still be treated with pesticides and herbicides. Many non-organic grains are heavily sprayed with toxic pesticides like

glyphosate just before harvest, a practice called desiccation” […]

[…] “The Non-GMO Misconception

It’s important to note that organic agriculture isn’t without its flaws. While it generally involves fewer synthetic chemicals, some are still permitted. Moreover, organic farming often relies on tillage, a practice that involves mechanically manipulating the soil through plowing or cultivation. This process can be detrimental to soil health, degrading its structure, increasing erosion, and disrupting vital microbial populations.

A common misconception, however, is that ‘Non-GMO’ labeling equates to chemical-free farming. In reality, this label merely indicates that the crops haven’t been genetically modified. It says nothing about the use of pesticides or herbicides during the growing process. This misunderstanding often leads consumers to believe they’re making a healthier choice when, in fact, they may still be exposing themselves to harmful chemicals.

While many people are aware that glyphosate and other toxic herbicides are used to control weeds, fewer realize that these chemicals are also employed as drying agents in some non-organic farming operations — leading to higher levels of glyphosate in non-organic products made from oats, wheat and other grains.1

This practice, known as desiccation, involves spraying crops with glyphosate 1 to 2 weeks before harvest to accelerate the drying process, allowing farmers to harvest sooner.2 It’s like giving crops a chemical spa day, except instead of coming out relaxed and rejuvenated, it comes out dead and potentially carcinogenic. Fancy!

The use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant has seen a dramatic increase in recent years. For example, even though wheat is not a GMO crop, glyphosate use on wheat has skyrocketed by 400% in the past two decades.3 This trend isn’t limited to wheat; it extends to a wide range of grains and legumes, including barley, oats, corn, soy, chickpeas, and more.

The practice of using glyphosate for crop desiccation can be traced back to Scotland in the 1980s. According to Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., farmers there struggled with uneven drying of wheat and barley crops. To solve this problem, they began using glyphosate to kill the crops shortly before harvest, accelerating the drying process.

And thus, the practice of spraying glyphosate on crops before harvest was born, soon spreading to other regions and crops. The use of glyphosate as a pre-harvest desiccant leaves chemical residues that are then processed into our food, significantly increasing our dietary exposure.4 While this practice isn’t universal, it’s particularly common in regions with short growing seasons and wetter harvests.” […]

[…] “Regulatory Shortcomings

But don’t worry, folks. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has got our backs. They’ve set the acceptable daily intake of glyphosate in our drinking water at a level that’s only … checks notes … 7,000 times higher than the European standard. Because nothing says “We care about public health” quite like allowing a generous helping of herbicide.

For food, the EPA in the United States has set the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for glyphosate at 1.75 mg/kg body weight/day, which is significantly higher than the standards in Europe (0.5 mg/kg) and Canada (0.3 mg/kg).11 Even more alarming is that these standards only consider direct glyphosate toxicity, completely overlooking its potential impact on gut health.” […]

Leave a Reply