If you are reading this you probably already want to help out, right?!

Organics Under Attack: Say No To Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa!

Please follow this link to vote TODAY!!!!!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/cms/sign/sign_dear_colleague_letter/?akid=137.71945.uzTEHL&rd=1&t=6Despite the fact that several scientific studies have linked GMO consumption to organ damage and multiple consumer alert organizations have petitioned the USDA to give the American people control over the food they eat, food manufactures in the United States still aren't required to declare the presence of GMOs on product labels.

Thanks to this glaring lack of transparency, GMO (genetically modified organisms or bio-engineered foods) foods are becoming widely spread in our food system, and newer, more unnatural strains are being developed every day.

Earlier this year, Monsanto made efforts to market and sell its genetically modified (GMO) Roundup Ready (TM) alfalfa, a crop that was banned pending an environmental impact assessment, and could threaten export and domestic markets and organic meat and dairy products.

Sign the petition to Stop Monsanto's GMO Alfalfa!

From the Center for Food Safety:

CFS has begun analyzing the Environmental Impact Statement (released in 2009) and it is clear that the USDA has not taken the concerns of non-GE alfalfa farmers, organic dairies, or consumers seriously. USDA's preliminary determination is to once again deregulate GE alfalfa without any limitations or protections for farmers or the environment. USDA is claiming that there is no evidence that consumers care about such GE contamination of organic!

USDA also claims that consumers will not reject GE contamination of organic alfalfa if the contamination is unintentional or if the transgenic material is not transmitted to the end milk or meat product, despite the fact that more than 75% of consumers believe that they are purchasing products without GE ingredients when they buy organic.

Well? Do you care if organic foods, which you purchase to reduce the amount of toxic pesticides your family ingests, are carelessly contaminated with genetically modified alfalfa? Do you care that, although the USDA predicts the approval of GE alfalfa will damage family farms and organic markets, it hasn't considered a single limitation or protection against this scenario??

Time is running out: Tell USDA That You DO Care About GE Contamination of Organic Crops and Food!
Care2 has joined forces with CREDO Action to fight to make sure our political representatives know we want them to maintain the ban on GMO alfalfa in order to protect farmers, the environment and the organic industry…

But we only have until Wednesday, June 16! That is today!!!!!

Things you Should Know about Sustainability

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Labels can be so confusing. See below for some commonly used terms on food labels and in stores. If you would like a complete handy glossary, please e-mail me @sustainablebrooklynkitchen@gmail.com for a complete template from sustainable table.

What does Natural mean?

A meat or poultry product that is labeled "natural" should not include any artificial flavoring, color, chemical preservatives, additives or artificial or synthetic ingredients. Please know that being "natural" does NOT have any bearing on the way the animal was raised or the food/additives that they were fed. Many people confuse Organic and Natural.

What is Organic?

For something to be labeled "Organic", it's producer and farm where the ingredients come from must meet the USDA's organic standards and must be certified by a USDA-approved food-certifying agency. Organic foods cannot be grown using any synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, or sewage sludge, cannot be genetically modified, and cannot be irradiated.

Organic meats and poultry must be fed only organically-grown feed without any animal by-products and cannot be treated with hormones or any antibiotics. Importantly, these animals must have access to the outdoors .

Cage Free

These are birds that are raised without cages. What this does not define is whether the birds were raised outdoors or have access to the outside, or if they were raised indoors in overcrowded conditions. If you want to buy eggs, poultry or meat that was raised outdoors, look for a label that says "pastured" or that says, "pasture-raised" or know the farm your food is coming from.

 

Grain-Fed

Industrial animals rely on corn and soy as a cheap source of protein-rich feed. Ruminants, like cows have stomachs that evolved to digest grasses and other forages. As a result, when these animals are fed a diet heavy in grain they often have digestive issues, poor liver function and, in the worst cases their diet can kill them. If you want meats or poultry that was raised on a sustainable diet, look for "pastured" or "grass fed", or again, know your farmers.

Grass Fed

These animals eat grasses from weaning until time of slaughter. Their diet should never be supplemented with grain, animal byproducts, or synthetic hormones. They should never be given antibiotics to promote their growth or to prevent diseases (however, they may be given antibiotics to TREAT a disease.).

Local     

Local meats are raised as close to home as possible. Depending on where you live, the closest farm could possibly be your backyard or as far a neighboring state. If you are buying directly from an area farmer, your meat is for sure, local. If you see the label in a store, ask the grocer where the meats were raised.

No Added Hormones

Animals were raised without added growth hormones. By law, hogs and poultry are not legally allowed to be given hormones- so the use of "no hormones" is mere advertising to make the consumer believe they are getting a higher quality product.

No Antibiotic Use

No antibiotics were administered, at all, during the life of the animal. If an animal gets sick, and needs antibiotics, it cannot be sold under this label.

No Meat/Animal By-Products

This label is supposed to indicate that the animals were raised on feed that contained no animal byproducts (beaks, bones, tails, etc.). However, unlike organic labels, this is not verified by any third source.

Pasture-Raised

In general, pasturing is a traditional farm technique where animals are raised outdoors in a humane, ecologically sustainable manner and eat foods that nature intended. Animals are raised on a pasture rather than being fattened up at a feedlot or in a confined, cruel facility.

Sustainable

While the word sustainable does not have a hard and quick definition, truly sustainable foods are raised locally by family farmers who promote the health of their animals, land and their communities. TO be sure this label meets your expectations and your standards, alike, ask your local grocer or farmer for more details about how their animals were raised.

 

 

 

 

 

An Introduction to Awesomeness

I have been pondering this blog for a long time now. (that would be me to the left at one of my favorite Brooklyn spots- Caracas, if you have not been there get there NOW.)

This is a blog that I hope can matter and make a difference in maybe one person's life. Maybe even change the way someone out there thinks about the food they eat a little more carefully. This blog isn't also will include some delicious recipes made in my own kitchen in my apartment in Brooklyn, where I cook and serve to the wonderful people in my life.

You can cook all of these wonderful dishes which are all organic, local, sustainable and some ingredients even home grown!!! Yes! After all my dishes you can also see where I have obtained all of the awesome goods that make these dishes so amazing!