Russia’s food safety regulator Rosselkhoznadzor just announced a complete ban starting February 15 on all US corn and soy imports. This is a huge blow to organic and GM farmers alike, though the ban will be instated due to genetically modified crop and microbial contamination.

Though the total exports to Russia from the US are small in comparison to soybean exports, totaling over $156 million in recent years, with Russia importing only 4,742 metric tons of U.S. Corn, the ban will still hurt US farmers.

Assistant Director of the Rosselkhoznadzor, Alexey Alekseenko said:

“Restrictions will be imposed on imports starting from February 15. They (the US) have to establish a system to ensure safety of products imported to Russia.”

China has issued similar bans in the past due to GM contamination, and only recently did an “about face” on the issue. US corn exports to the country recently dropped by 85% after a report detailing GM contamination was released.

Putin recently said that Russians need to be protected from GM crops. The food latest ban follows that credo. According to the regulator, the corn imported from the US is often infected with dry rot of maize. In addition, according to the Russian watchdog, corn can be used for transgenic crops in Russia. The potential damage from import and spread of quarantinable objects on the territory of Russia is estimated at 10-15 bln rubles ($126 mln-189 mln) annually.

So, a combination of microbial disease and genetically mutated genes are both a concern for Russia, China, and multiple other countries who are refusing GM imports from the US.

Just months ago, President Putin’s meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry revealed the Russian leaders “extreme outrage” over the Obama regimes continued protection of global seed and plant bio-genetic giants Syngenta and Monsanto.

This article originally appeared at Natural Society.

Video: Monsanto Technology Lead Says ‘We are Proud of What We Do’

Plus 7 reasons NOT to work for Monsanto
Christina Sarich | Infowars.com - February 12, 2016 12 Comments
Video: Monsanto Technology Lead Says ‘We are Proud of What We Do’
John Purcell, Hawaii Business and Technology Lead for Monsanto, the largest genetically engineered seed-producing company in the country, explains in a video why he chose to work for Monsanto.

When speaking of why he went to work for Monsanto, Purcell also said:

“This is a company that has a vision for change in what agriculture is about…this is really something that matters.”

Monsanto has a vision all right, and it isn’t one anyone should be proud of. While it seems that Purcell sincerely believes that what Monsanto is doing is beneficial for the world, we simply can’t ignore the massive downfalls Monsanto played a key part in materializing.

7 Reasons He Shouldn’t Want to Work for Monsanto

Consider more accurately the ‘hallucination’ that created this mayhem:

1. Monsanto consistently fights against consumer ‘right-to-know’ legislation that would allow them to know when they are eating genetically modified organisms. Monsanto has put major capital behind making sure we stay in the DARK.

2. Industrial forms of agriculture, promoted heavily by Monsanto, often emphasizing large-scale monoculture crop production, have a negative impact on biodiversity. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, referring to the scale of the loss as “extensive,” found that some 75 percent of plant genetic diversity has been lost since 1900 as farmers turn to genetically uniform, mass-produced crop varieties.

3. Bob Shapiro (former CEO of Monsanto) has even admitted that the effects of GMOs are unknown. He has said, “. . .we realize that with any new and powerful technology with unknown, and to some degree unknowable – by definition – effects, then there necessarily will be an appropriate level at least, and maybe even more than that, of public debate and public interest.” Nonetheless, Monsanto continues to behave as if risk assessments are unnecessary, putting public health continually in danger.

4. Monsanto has even targeted children, attempting to brainwash them into believing GM crops are beneficial. In a blatant attempt at brainwashing, the Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI) has widely circulated what it calls a Biotechnology Basics Activity Book for kids, to be used by “Agriculture and Science Teachers.” Under the guise of ‘educational materials’ Monsanto is bidding for your kids’ allegiance.

5. Monsanto has launched over 145 lawsuits against farmers in the US for patent infringement. The company clearly wants to monopolize our food supply. With roughly 13 lawsuits being waged annually, what else could they be up to?

6. GM crops, such as those created by Monsanto, Dow, Syngenta, Bayer and others have increased by an exponential degree the amount of herbicides used to grow ‘food.’ These herbicides, including glyphosate cause serious damage.

7. Monsanto has created an agricultural environment so dire for small farmers that 291,000 suicides in India have been reportedly linked to Monsanto’s GM crops. Dr. Vandava Shiva explains that “. . . the motivations for these suicides follow a familiar pattern: Farmers become trapped in a cycle of debt trying to make a living growing Monsanto’s genetically engineered Bt cotton. They always live close to the edge, but one season’s ruined crop can dash hopes of ever paying back their loans, much less enabling their families to get ahead.” The farmers become despondent enough that they drink the pesticide meant to be spread on their crops.

Pointing to the numerous health complications, mass farmer suicide, bankruptcy, and placing fear in small children, while trying to patent our entire food supply, it’s odd to see Monsanto reps seem so excited, ‘proud’ even, to work for the third most hated company in the world.

This article originally appeared at Natural Society.