The following are important developments we must act against now. A new study has shown that the world’s most used insecticides (neonics) damage male fertility in rodents.
The scientists analyzed 21 laboratory studies between 2005 and 2025. Despite differences in design, species, and dosing, more than two-thirds found neonic exposure damaged testicular function and sperm: Sperm counts dropped. Sperm moved more slowly. Shapes became abnormal, and hormone levels changed.
The effects worsened with higher doses or more prolonged exposure to neonics, causing more severe or permanent injury.
“Research links neonic exposures in the womb to birth defects of the heart and brain, autism-like symptoms, and reduced cognitive abilities. Adult exposures are also associated with lower testosterone and sperm quality and count, altered insulin regulation, and changes to fat metabolism,” according to the National Resources Defense Council.
This is alarming, given that over 95 percent of pregant women have neonics in their bodies, with the highest levels in Hispanic women, and levels are on the rise.
Beware: drinking water treatment does not remove neonics from water.
TAKE Action to ban bee-killing neonic seed treatments.
U.S. Commercial Development of Transgenic HB4 GMO Wheat is Now Underway
Capital Press:
“Argentina-based Bioceres Crop Solutions Corps and the Colorado Wheat Research Foundation will jointly develop and commercialize HB4 wheat in the United States. HB4 is a transgenic wheat trait that incorporates drought tolerance transferred through a sunflower gene. According to Bioceres, HB4 wheat demonstrated up to a 43% yield improvement in targeted environments.
The USDA in August 2024 approved HB4, the first GMO trait ever deregulated in the U.S. for wheat. As part of the collaboration, Bioceres will grant the research foundation ‘exclusive, sublicensable rights’ to the HB4 trait in the U.S. territory. The foundation will serve as ‘trait manager,’ facilitating broad access to HB4 wheat for third-party breeding programs and commercial channels, and leading engagement with U.S. stakeholders, according to a joint announcement from Bioceres and the foundation.
The parties will work together with industry participants to develop, register and commercialize new ‘broad-spectrum’ herbicide formulations tailored for HB4 wheat.”
Learn what makes GMO wheat a really terrible proposition: What’s Wrong with Modern Wheat
TAKE ACTION: Tell General Mills To Reject GMO Wheat!
Introducing the SHAM GRAS Act, a Bill To Weaken Food Chemical Safety
Sarah Sorscher reports for Food Safety News:
“Last week, some of the biggest players in Big Food, including household names like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hormel and PepsiCo, teamed up to launch a lobbying coalition to permanently undermine food safety in the United States.
The new coalition is purportedly seeking to reform the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) loophole, a federal policy that allows food companies to self-certify their ingredients as safe and then introduce them into the market without even informing FDA. At the same time, there are rumblings of Sen. Roger Marshall R-KS, introducing a federal bill to amend the GRAS process, pairing it with a preemption provision, a move that aligns with the interests of the new group.
It may come as a surprise to no one that the new front group, ironically titled ‘Americans for Ingredient Transparency,’ has a special interest in taking on federal food chemical safety reform.”
READ: Truth or Deception? Inside “Americans for Ingredient Transparency”
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 