The President’s Cancer Panel was created in 1971. It’s purpose is to find environmental causes for cancer.
Last week, the Panel’s team of medical professionals released a 240 page report entitled, "Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk, What We Can Do Now" that contains strongly-worded language that even rocked environmental health folks. It urges President Barack Obama to “remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.” We’re talking about the Big C here, a dread disease that will affect 4 out of 10 lives.
Nicholas D. Kristof, op-ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote in his 05/05/2010 piece that the report “calls out the government’s ‘lackadaisical’ approach to chemical regulation.” Kristof goes on to say the report cites examples, dramatic ones at that, of how the government has failed us by preventing unnecessary exposures to chemical toxins.
As one of the millions of Americans who votes for organic food with my food dollars, I have to say that it's immensely gratifying to see that such a prestigious Panel of medical professionals has given the nod to foods grown organically. We're already protecting our lives and the Earth's future by eating foods with limited toxins, that are grown or raised without hormones, that are not irradiated. Presently, the Organic Standards Act forbids the use of GMOs, another huge issue organic foodists are wise to educate themselves on, and avoid them entirely. (Learn more and download a shopping list to carry with you when you shop.)
The Panel included a list of recommendations for individuals. One of those that Kristof cites in his article is:
“Give preference to food grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers and growth hormones. Avoid meats that are cooked well-done.”
Organic Trade Association's Executive Director, Christine Bushway, weighed in on the Panel's conclusions after they were released.
In part, she said, "Organic production and processing is the only system that uses certification and inspection to verify that these chemicals are not used on the farm all the way to our dinner tables."…"OTA is gratified to see a prestigious scientific panel recognize what the organic farmers and the organic community have realized about environmental health and organic agriculture for decades, and we applaud them for taking on this critical issue," Bushway added.
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