Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard...

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Food Justice Martin Donohoe

Transcript of Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard...

Page 1: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Food Justice

Martin Donohoe

Page 2: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

UN Declaration of Human Rights

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care”

Page 3: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Food Justice: Overview

• Agriculture - consequences• Biodiversity

– 75% decrease over 20th Century– Vulnerability to infestations (e.g., Irish potato famine)– Svalbard Seed Bank

• Deforestation– Overpopulation, unsustainable agricultural practices

Page 4: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Food Justice: Overview

• Soil erosion

• Water availability

• Health consequences of pesticide use

Page 5: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Corporate Control of Agriculture

• Monsanto, Novartis, Pioneer/Dupont, Aventis CropScience, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Syngenta, Dow

• Mid 1970s – 7,000 seed companies (none controls over 0.5% of market)

• 2011 – 10 companies control 2/3 of seeds

• Control/harassment of scientists

Page 6: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Food Justice

• Lobbying, governmental influence (revolving door)

• Production and Distribution– Local vs international, greenhouse

gasses/global warming

• Diversion of food crops to biofuels

Page 7: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Poverty and Famine

• U.S. Poverty– 15% (22% children)– Racial disparities

• Worldwide– 1.1 billion lack access to clean water– 2.6 billion lack adequate sanitation

• Famine: 18,000 people starve to death daily (1 Hiroshima every 8 days)

Page 8: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Poverty and PrioritiesPoverty and Priorities

• Amount of money needed each year (in Amount of money needed each year (in addition to current expenditures) to addition to current expenditures) to provide water and sanitation for all people provide water and sanitation for all people in developing nations = $9 billionin developing nations = $9 billion

• Amount of money spent annually on Amount of money spent annually on cosmetics in the U.S. = $8 billioncosmetics in the U.S. = $8 billion

• One week of developed world farm One week of developed world farm subsidies = Annual cost of food aid subsidies = Annual cost of food aid required to eliminate world hungerrequired to eliminate world hunger

Page 9: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Foreign Aid

• In total dollars: U.S. #1In total dollars: U.S. #1• As a % of GDP, U.S. ranks 21As a % of GDP, U.S. ranks 21stst among among

the world’s wealthiest nationsthe world’s wealthiest nations• U.S. Aid: Over 1/3 military, 1/4 U.S. Aid: Over 1/3 military, 1/4

economic, 1/3 for food and economic, 1/3 for food and developmentdevelopment

• Most U.S. aid benefits U.S. corporationsMost U.S. aid benefits U.S. corporations• GM crops and food aid (Zambian GM crops and food aid (Zambian

famine, Africa - Wikileaks)famine, Africa - Wikileaks)

Page 10: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Foreign AidForeign Aid

• 0.9% of the total federal budget, 1.6% 0.9% of the total federal budget, 1.6% of the U.S. discretionary budgetof the U.S. discretionary budget

• On average, Americans think that On average, Americans think that 24% of the federal budget goes 24% of the federal budget goes toward foreign aidtoward foreign aid

Page 11: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Foreign AidForeign Aid

• Structural adjustment policies of Structural adjustment policies of World Bank, IMF, WTO force World Bank, IMF, WTO force developing nations to convert from developing nations to convert from production of food crops for local production of food crops for local consumption to profitable export consumption to profitable export cropscrops

• Land purchases by China, India, and Land purchases by China, India, and Brazil in AfricaBrazil in Africa

Page 12: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

PesticidesPesticides

• 2.2 billion lbs/yr pesticides2.2 billion lbs/yr pesticides

–Almost 8 lbs/person/yr in USAlmost 8 lbs/person/yr in US

• Linked to autism, Parkinson’s Linked to autism, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity (with prenatal diabetes, obesity (with prenatal exposure), depression, ADHD, breast exposure), depression, ADHD, breast cancercancer

Page 13: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

PesticidesPesticides

• EPA: U.S. farm workers suffer up to EPA: U.S. farm workers suffer up to 300,000 pesticide-related acute illnesses 300,000 pesticide-related acute illnesses and injuries per yearand injuries per year– 25 million cases/yr worldwide25 million cases/yr worldwide

• NAS: Pesticides in food could cause up to NAS: Pesticides in food could cause up to 1 million cancers in the current generation 1 million cancers in the current generation of Americansof Americans

• WHO: 1,000,000 people killed by WHO: 1,000,000 people killed by pesticides over the last 6 yearspesticides over the last 6 years

Page 14: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Indoor combustion of coal and Indoor combustion of coal and biomassbiomass

• For cooking, heating and food For cooking, heating and food preservationpreservation– Used by almost 3 billion people Used by almost 3 billion people

worldwideworldwide– Causes close to 2 million deaths/yrCauses close to 2 million deaths/yr– Associated with multiple pulmonary Associated with multiple pulmonary

conditionsconditions– Women and children predominantly Women and children predominantly

affectedaffected

Page 15: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Agricultural Antibiotic UseAgricultural Antibiotic Use

• Agriculture accounts for 80% of U.S. Agriculture accounts for 80% of U.S. antibiotic useantibiotic use

–Use up 50% over the last 15 yearsUse up 50% over the last 15 years

Page 16: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Antibiotic Resistant PathogensAntibiotic Resistant Pathogens

• CDC: “Antibiotic use in food animals is the CDC: “Antibiotic use in food animals is the dominant source of antibiotic resistance dominant source of antibiotic resistance among food-borne pathogens.”among food-borne pathogens.”

• $4billion/yr to treat antibiotic-resistant $4billion/yr to treat antibiotic-resistant infections in humansinfections in humans

• US Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical US Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, 2007 – awaiting voteTreatment Act, 2007 – awaiting vote

Page 17: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Genetically-Modified Crops

• 29 countries, 250 million acres (10% of global farmland), commercialized 1994

• Most soybeans, cotton, corn; other crops• 80% herbicide-resistant (e.g., Roundup

Ready soybeans); 20% produce their own pesticide (e.g., Bt corn)

• No commercially available GE crop that is drought-resistant, salt- or flood-tolerant, or which increases yields

Page 18: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Genetically-Modified Crops: Risks

• Contamination– Financial consequences

• Allergies

• Superweeds

• Changes in soil, soil bacteria

• Altered nutritional value, potential adverse health effects

• Increased herbicide/pesticide use

Page 19: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Biopharming

• The engineering of plants to produce pharmaceuticals (enzymes, antibiotics, contraceptives, abortifacients, antibodies, chemotherapeutic agents, vaccines) and industrial chemicals

• Secrecy, violations, poorly regulated• Risks – similar to GM crop risks, and more• Widespread opposition (NAS, UCS, BMA,

Consumers Union, others

Page 20: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Other Issues

• COOL (Country of Origin Labeling)

• Inadequate funding of food inspection enterprise

• Genetic modification of vertebrates

• Cloned meats

• Artificial meat

• Patenting life forms (Supreme Court to ultimately decide)

Page 21: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Obesity Epidemic

• 1/3 of adults overweight, 1/3 obese

• Health consequences

• Economic and health care costs

Page 22: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

ObesityPublic Health Approaches

• Education

• Exercise

• Remove sodas (and HFCS-laden juices [and bottled water]) from schools/vending machines

• Obesity report cards

• Improve National School Lunch Program

Page 23: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

ObesityPublic Health Approaches

• Restrictions on Food Stamp use

• Insurance discounts/surcharges

• Menu labelling

• Trans fat bans

Page 24: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

ObesityPublic Health Approaches

• Soda tax

• Advertising restrictions/halting predatory marketing to children

• Zoning laws for fast food outlets

• Lawsuits

Page 25: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)

• aka recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rBST), brand name Posilac©

– Monsanto → Elanco (Eli Lilly)

• 10-15% of U.S. dairy cows injected with rBGH

• Used to increase milk production by cattle

Page 26: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

rBGH

• Marketed primarily to large dairy farms (LDFs), which are supplanting small dairy farms

• LDFs have

– Worse environmental impact records

– Higher rates of workplace injuries

– Contribute to decreasing agricultural diversity

Page 27: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Effects of rBGH on Humans

• Increases IGF-1– suspected contributor to breast, prostate

and GI cancers– may be partly responsible for earlier

onset of puberty

• Causes 16 different harmful conditions in cattle

Page 28: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

rBGH Worldwide

• Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the European Union have banned rBGH

• The Codex Alimentarius, the UN’s main food safety body, has refused to certify rBGH as safe

Page 29: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

rBGH Today

• All fluid milk products in Oregon now rBGH-free

• All hospital systems in Oregon rBGH-free (over 160 hospitals nationwide)

• Dairies increasingly abandoning rBGH in response to consumer demand

• Starbucks (company-owned stores), Chipotle, others rBGH-free

Page 30: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Oregon Measure 27GM Food Labeling (2002)

• Required labeling of wholesale and retail GM foodstuffs

• Defeated 70% to 30%– Despite widespread public support for labeling

• Opponents outspent proponents $5.5 million to $200,000– Out of state ag biotech money– Disinformation campaign

Page 31: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

GM Food Labeling Today

• Many countries ban or limit GM crop production and importation

• Vermont requires GM labeling, CA ballot measure proposed, Alaska outlaws GE fish (Washington considering), Arkansas bans GE rice, Boulder (CO) bans GE crops on public lands, certain Northern California counties ban GM crops

Page 32: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Representative Kucinich’s House Bills (all pending)

• The Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act, or H.R. 6636

• The Genetically Engineered Food Safety Act, or H.R. 6635

• The Genetically Engineered Technology Farmer Protection Act, or H.R. 6637

Page 33: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Representative Kucinich’s House Bills (all pending)

• Mandate GMO labeling

• Require proper GMO safety testing

• Eliminate seed patenting

• Increase rights and protections for farmers

• Prohibit sterile seeds

• Allow farmers to save seeds

Page 34: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Representative Kucinich’s House Bills (all pending)

• Administer full liability to biotechnology companies for damage caused by GMOs

• Expand FDA oversight and increase regulations re biopharming

• Prohibit open-air biopharming

• Expand research to help developing nations feed themselves

Page 35: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Oregon Biopharm Bill

• Signed 2007, MOU completed 2010

• Opposition: agricultural biotech, Oregonians for Food and Shelter

• ODA and Public Health Dept. must approve permits before field trials

• FDA preliminary safety opinion required

Page 36: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Oregon Biopharm Bill

• Public comment period, public meeting

• Preference for non-food crops, secured indoor greenhouses

• $10,000 fee to company

• Company responsible for required remedial action

Page 37: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Priorities

• Support traditional/organic farming– converts carbon from a greenhouse gas into a

food-producing asset

• UN FAO: enough food produced daily to provide every living person with over 2700 calories/day

– Even so, half the world’s food is wasted (UN FAO)

• Hunger: solution requires political will

Page 38: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Suggestions for Health Care Professionals

• Education (self, patients)• Op-eds• Vote• Lobbying• Work with groups (see phsj website “food

safety issues” page)– Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility’s

Campaign for Safe Food

• Run for office

Page 39: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Speak Up

“The first job of a citizen is to keep your mouth open.”

- Günter Grass

Page 40: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Have Faith in Your Ability to Affect Change

"If you think you are too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in your tent“

- Anita Roddick

Page 41: Food Justice Martin Donohoe. UN Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of.

Martin Donohoe

http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org

http://www.phsj.org

[email protected]