From Anger to Activism: Diana Reeves of GMO Free USA
Not many have the dedication to changing our food system like Diana Reeves, Founder of GMO Free USA. GMO Free USA seeks to change our broken food system and polluted agricultural system through research, education, and uncompromising advocacy and activism. I interviewed Diana this week and her story is both tragic and courageous! Not only was almost her entire family diagnosed with autoimmune diseases but they also faced the unbearable tragedy of losing a child to cancer.
Just recently, GMO Free USA toured with Neil Young + Promise of the Real on The Monsanto Years Tour to 11 cities. When I met Diana Reeves in person at the Neil Young concert in Denver, I realized the depth of her commitment to educating everyone about the dangers of GMOs and argichemicals in our food. What I did not realize until this day was the depth of her pain over losing a child. She told me that day that she was ready to talk about it.
This week, Diana shared for the first time her story of losing a child to cancer and the events that ensued around her son’s untimely death at the age of 4-1/2. I will not even try to articulate those details, as I think it is important to hear the story in Diana’s words. After she courageously shared with me the details of her son’s death, I really got why she is so angry with companies like Kellogg’s and Gerber who target children with their chemical-laden foods and GMOs. GMO Free USA started a boycott of Kellogg’s a few years back and they have since gotten thousands to boycott Kellogg’s products. Since that time, they have also started a boycott of Gerber and recently, Scotts, which is now making genetically engineered grass that is sprayed with RoundUp (Glyphosate). Think of the impact of grass that is sprayed with this toxic herbicide in schoolyards and backyards.
When I asked Diana how she keeps going and stays positive after everything she has been through, she replied:
“I think as a mother, I feel responsible, I know that we cannot leave this mess for our children and future generations. There is really nothing stronger than a mother’s protective instincts for her children and for all of humanity–this is a mess and we just have to clean it up.”
GMO Free USA is a force not to be reckoned with. In addition to their GMO education, which has a very wide reach, they have starting testing foods for GMO and agri-chemical contamination. So far, they have tested Kellogg’s Fruit Loops, by DNA analysis, and found that 100% of the corn in the Froot Loops was GMO, containing DNA sequences known to be present in insecticide producing Bt and Roundup Ready corn. The soy contained DNA sequences known to be present in Roundup Ready GMO soy. They have also tested Gerber Lil Crunchies and Frito-Lay Sunchips which also contained significant levels of glyphosate. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that indicates that glyphosate bioaccumulates in our bodies. Glyphosate was found to be frequently present in people’s urine, with the levels being higher in individuals with chronic diseases and has been detected in breast milk. Studies have linked glyphosate to health and environmental harm including endocrine disruptive capability, birth defects, male infertility and chronic kidney disease. Glyphosate has been found to kill beneficial gut microbiota in chickens. There have been no human health trials.
Diana also talked about H.R. 1599 (the DARK Act) which is a Bill that recently passed in the House that would preempt any GMO labeling initiatives at the state level, among other things, and emphasized the importance of us contacting our senators to vote “No” on H.R.1599 before it comes up for vote in the Senate.
GMO Free USA is a 501(c)(3) and Diana and her co-workers are not paid for doing this work. They need our help to continue this education and the food testing. If you would like to help, you can go to either their website at www.gmofreeusa.org or their Facebook page at GMO Free USA to make a donation.
Diana Reeves is truly an inspiration to me and many others. Her commitment to changing our broken food system is exemplary! To hear her emotional yet inspirational story, click on the link at the bottom of the page:
If you would like to DONATE to Food Integrity Now, click here or on the link in the right sidebar. We are funded by your donations!
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Thank you for this interview Carol, I am grateful to know about Diana and the work she is doing. I will get in touch with her and see what i can do to assist her efforts and continue on with my own. Are you still considering doing a GMO Summit? If not, I want to step up my agenda to find someone who will. I thing and feel strongly that it is mandatory to go this route because it will raise awareness and educate people in a much more far reaching way than one person or small group of people at a time. As I told you on the phone when we talked a few months ago, as long as Monsanto and friends are Planting and Spraying, the people and the planet itself will continue to have higher more potent levels of toxicity in the food, air, water and soil. It will be too late once we get past the point of no return.
Blessings to you,
Dianne McCown
Great group. Nice to meet Diane via your article. I had no idea about her back story. She is certainly making a positive difference in the lives of many people now.
Great article on this wonderful leader and activist! It’s hard to fathom the courage and perseverance it would take to lose a child and then take on one of the most powerful, deceitful, and insidious industries in the world. To knowingly and willingly sacrifice the health and safety of people worldwide in the name of profit is a truly despicable example of corporate power gone awry. Many thanks to Diana and the great work she has achieved.
So grateful for people like Diane!!!!! Keep up the great work!!!! I was progressively getting more and more health issues (autoimmune thyroid, joint, skin, hormonal, heart, blood pressure, depression, etc…) Traditional doctors just wanted to prescribe drugs that had side effects and did not actually solve anything! Then I went to a Functional Medicine doctor who tested my saliva, blood and stool to find so many issues with food intolerances and hormones. Once on a diet of organic whole foods, my body and brain started to respond! I take no drugs and friends and family say I look and act so much younger than before!!! I attribute it to staying away from GMO foods and chemicals in food, household products and personal care products. So many people are totally unaware of the implications of the chemicals in our environment and foods and the impact on our health.
I have known Diana for years and she has a heart of gold and is passionate about her work. Watch out Kellogg’s…I’d get on her good list and drop the GMO junk if I was you!
Hello, I am very curious and would like a link to the studies that you refer to in your article………….” Glyphosate was found to be frequently present in people’s urine, with the levels being higher in individuals with chronic diseases and has been detected in breast milk. Studies have linked glyphosate to health and environmental harm including endocrine disruptive capability, birth defects, male infertility and chronic kidney disease. Glyphosate has been found to kill beneficial gut microbiota in chickens.”
May I please be get the links for the studies you refer to, please. I am curious to read them for myself. And also, peace and serenity for Diana and her family in this difficult time.
1) Glyphosate was found to be frequently present in people’s urine, with the levels being higher in individuals with chronic diseases
Study: http://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/detection-of-glyphosate-residues-in-animals-and-humans-2161-0525.1000210.pdf
2) and has been detected in breast milk.
http://www.thelocal.de/20150626/concerns-over-safety-of-german-breast-milk and
http://sustainablepulse.com/2014/04/06/worlds-number-1-herbicide-discovered-u-s-mothers-breast-milk/
3)Studies have linked glyphosate to health and environmental harm including endocrine disruptive capability, birth defects, male infertility and chronic kidney disease. Glyphosate has been found to kill beneficial gut microbiota in chickens.”
Best to go here for the links to all the studies and more studies that were not mentioned:
http://www.gmofreeusa.org/food-testing/kelloggs/kashi-golean-original/
and here:
http://www.gmofreeusa.org/research/glyphosate/glyphosate-overview/
What can I do other than sharing articles on facebook. I want to help. Most people don’t know what contains GMO’s. I think t-shirts with company names like unions do, would be great to wear for weekly grocery trips. It would raise awareness.
Mary Vining, retired teacher.
Just keep educating everyone and supporting the organizations that are getting the information out. Buy organic! Thanks.