May 24th: March Against Monsanto and Marine Mammal Captivity
This coming Saturday, May 24, millions of activists around the world will meet for the second annual March Against Monsanto, a protest calling for an end to genetically modified organisms.
Last year’s event saw millions of people gather together in more than 40 countries. This year’s protests are slated for 400 cities in 52 countries on six continents. The U.S. will see March Against Monsanto events in 47 states.
“GMOs are not adequately monitored to ensure public safety. Long term, independent, peer reviewed studies were not conducted before GMOs were introduced for human or animal consumption,” the group said in a statement on the March Against Monsanto website.
Started by Tami Monroe Canal, March Against Monsanto was inspired in order to protect her two daughters. “Monsanto’s predatory business and corporate agricultural practices threatens their generation’s health, fertility and longevity,” she said in a statement. “MAM supports a sustainable food production system. We must act now to stop GMOs and harmful pesticides.”
This year’s marches will be kicking off with better news than last year’s event, which was started in the wake of the failure of Prop 37 in California—a ballot initiative to label GMOs that many thought would pass. It failed by a slim margin, which was heavily influenced by Monsanto and the biotech industry’s “No on 37” campaign.
But two recent victories for the anti-GMO movement are marshaling in this year’s event: Vermont’s governor recently signed into a law a bill mandating labels on foods sold in the state that contain GMOs. And just this week, two counties in Oregon passed voter measures that ban growing genetically modified crops inside county lines.
May 24th will also see protests for another cause garnering much attention within similar circles. Empty the Tanks Worldwide is a a public awareness campaign in its second year, drawing attention to the plights of marine mammals living in captivity. Protests are being held at SeaWorld locations and other marine mammal parks around the world. More info can be found at: Empty The Tanks Worldwide.
Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger
Related on Organic Authority
The Northwest Delivers a Blow to Biotech: 2 Oregon Counties Ban GMOs
Vermont Governor Signs GMO Labeling Bill, Big Food in Position to Take Action
Doing the Right Thing: An Interview With Sea Shepherd’s Captain Paul Watson
Image: confrontationalmedia
