To the editor:

The headline “Bill gives state reins on CAFOs” caught my attention.

Senate Bill 249 is “a bill that would give more power to the state in deciding the fate of confined animal feeding operations and where they can be built” and prohibiting those directly affected (county, municipality or townships) from being able to have anything to say about their exposure to harmful effects of CAFO’s.

This news set off all kinds of alarms for me. Why this and why now?

Could it be that other parts of the U.S. are trying to ban the cultivation of GMO’s and Big Ag/Big Chemical is trying to do an end run around Indiana?

Just recently Maui County, Hawaii, passed a law banning the cultivation of genetically modified organisms. Two agricultural giants (Monsanto and Dow Chemical) sued the county.

Evidently the people in Maui County were alarmed about the harmful effects of continuous spraying of glysophate (Round-up) in their county and GMO’s.

Other nations, most of Europe and now Russia, have banned GMO’s.

I’ve always been told to “Follow the Money.” So my thinking is:

1. If the market for GMO grains is drying up in some areas of the world and soaking crops with glysophate is increasing yield, then Big Ag/Big Chemo need new sources for a market for GMO grain.

2. The rural folk in Indiana are now waking up to the health problems caused by CAFOs and their glyphosate saturated GMO feed.

3. IF Big Ag/Big Chemo use their money for lobbying the state committee in charge of CAFOs, it would save them money and hassle because they wouldn’t need to “lobby” in each county.

I want to digress for a moment and just share a little information about CAFOs, glysophate and GMO’s. Factory-farmed animals are typically raised on a GMO diet, and glyphosate bioaccumlates in the tissues. Increased human consumption of glysophate and GMO grains and GMO fed meat products has been associated with increased levels of autism, celiac disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, etc.

Regarding autism, studies have shown that glysophate works synergistically with mercury (found in immunizations) to increase the harmful effects of mercury 10 fold.

I agree with Jackson County Commissioner Jerry Hounshel that taking control away from local officials would not be in the best interests of Jackson County.

Linda McCormick

Brownstown