While the United States has fully embraced genetically modified organisms (GMO), and an abundance of pesticide and agrochemical laden crops and livestock, Russia has been working nearly a decade to go purely organic in the country, ostracizing Western foods and brands.
The WinePress touched on this move in a report published last year, titled, “As Media Declares “Global Hunger Crisis” Media Blasts Organic Farming, Looking To Implement Gene-Edited Foods;” which noted how the media warned that the Russia-Ukraine war would lead to all kinds of food and fertilizer shortages, due to the restrictions imposed by the West, but mainly because of Russia’s attack, pundits and ‘experts’ asserted.
Moreover, as I noted in that article, the media and scientists took the opportunity to blast organic agricultural practices, claiming that it is too expensive and cannot yield enough food. Howbeit since Russia was working hard to go and maintain their organic practices, the pundits and experts took potshots at the Eastern giant. Instead, scientists and other publications took the opportunity to plug gene-edited crops – a step above traditional GMOs – that would truly allow for some “Frakenfoods” in the truest sense of the phrase; allowing crops to be weather-resistant, generate its own vitamins without the sun, prevent molding, and so much more; and advocating that Europe and the West hop on this bandwagon, once again blaming organic activists for getting in the way of “progress.”
This report will delve a little deeper into Russia’s moves to go organic and heavily penalize GMO growers.
SEE: GMO Foods Are Now Legally Renamed As “Bioengineered”
The World Hub
As far back as 2012, Russia had already begun to establish organic certification standards, indicating that the country was really going to begin to promote organic husbandry. While some producers and companies were listing “organic” and “bio” on the packaging, there was not yet an official seal from the state.
Then in 2014 the Natural Society quoted Putin’s goals to vastly increase the supply of organic crops in Russia:
We need to properly construct our work so that it is not contrary to our obligations under the WTO. But even with this in mind, we nevertheless have legitimate methods and instruments to protect our own market, and above all citizens.
Putin said
In 2015 Putin also claimed that Russia will become the world’s largest supplier of organic crops.
Not only can we ourselves eat it, but also taking into account our land and water – which is particularly important – resources Russia could become the world’s largest supplier of healthy, environmentally friendly, high-quality food that has long been missing in some western producers.
Especially as the demand on the global market for such products is growing.
Putin again stated
Earlier that year Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich announced that Russia will not use GMOs to increase their agricultural productivity. “Russia has chosen a different path. We will not use these technologies,” he said.
Moreover, Bloomberg reported in 2016,
Russia last year joined dozens of nations in banning the commercial planting of genetically modified organisms and has since barred GMO imports — putting Putin at the vanguard of an increasingly vocal global movement.
But the crowning achievement of his food strategy so far is grain. Russia overtook the U.S. this year to become the biggest exporter of wheat — a milestone that followed bumper yields of corn, rice, soybeans and buckwheat.
Putin isn’t relying on rich Russians alone to drive expansion. Russia is also courting companies in Asia and the Middle East — the only real option since other large economies have imposed sanctions. The RDIF is creating a $2 billion fund with China to invest in agricultural projects, and last month formed a joint venture with Thailand’s CP Group to build Russia’s largest integrated dairy complex. It’s also working with Egyptian banks to create an export hub for Russian grain on the Suez Canal.
If successful, these efforts will go some way toward meeting Putin’s stated goal of re-orienting economic ties away from the West and toward emerging markets.
The Law
Signed in June, 2016, an official ban of GMO crops was passed, with similar restrictions for livestock; imposing heavy fines and penalties for growers using GMOs and other harmful chemical agents, and even mixing organic and non-organic together.
The Library of Congress lists the full ban and official documents on their website, which are as follows:
On June 29, 2016, the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Federal Assembly (the upper chamber of the legislature) adopted the Federal Law on Amending Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in Regard to Improvement of State Control in the Field of Genetic Engineering. (Press Release, Federation Council, Ban on Growing and Production of Genetically Modified Organisms on Russian Territory Is Established (June 29, 2016) (in Russian); text of the Law and Legislative Information available at Bill No. 714809-6, State Duma website (last visited June 30, 2016).)
The new Law imposes a ban on food stuffs produced using genetically modified plants or animals. As stated in the new Law, the legislation “strengthens measures aimed at monitoring of all types of activities associated with GMOs, preventing release of GMOs into the environment, and ameliorating the consequences if such a release occurs.” (Law, art. 1(1).) Among the federal laws amended by the new Law are the Law on Seed Production and the Environmental Protection Law. Provisions prohibiting “any use of seeds derived from through genetic modification, including those that cannot reproduce or transfer inherited genetic material,” and “reproduction of animals whose genetic program has been changed by using genetic engineering methods” were added to these acts. The only exemption is made for experimental research work. (Id. arts. 2 & 3.)
The new ban, which received expressions of support and approval from the legislative assemblies of eight Russian provinces, will enter into force as soon as it is officially published. (Id.)
Registration of GMOs
New registration procedures for genetically engineered or modified organisms and for the issuance of permits for work in this field are established by the new Law. Violations of the newly introduced prohibitions will be punished with increased fines; federal and local officials of the agencies in charge of monitoring activities related to GMOs have the right to issue these fines. (Id. art. 4.)
The new restrictions extend to imported products and the Law provides for new registration requirements and procedures applicable to importers as well. Import of genetically modified organisms and products containing GMOs is not totally prohibited, but is subject to registration with the federal government. The Law expands the right of the executive government to prohibit the importing of GMOs and products containing GMOs into Russia because of the potential harmful impact of such products on humans or the environment. (Legislative Information, supra.)
Background
It appears that the Law was passed in line with the statement made in September 2015 by the Vice-Chairman of the Russian Federation Cabinet of Ministers that the Government intended to stop production of food with genetically modified elements. (State Duma Passed a Law Banning GMOs, NEWSRU.COM (June 24, 2016) (in Russian).) The current legislation had allowed the use of genetically modified seeds in agriculture and required special labeling of food that was produced with GMOs. (Federal Law on State Regulation in the Field of Genetic Engineering No. 86 of July 5, 1996, CONSULTANT.RU (in Russian).) Because the introduction of GMO registration procedures had been postponed until July 2017, however, there was a de facto moratorium on production of genetically modified food and punishment for violation of rules regulating GMO production was not foreseen. (State Duma Passed a Law Banning GMOs, supra.)
Advocates of the ban claim that implementation of this legislation will allow Russia to produce the cleanest agricultural products in the world (id.), while its opponents state that this ban favors the current Russian agricultural lobby, which is not interested in the development of new technologies and is afraid of competition in world markets. (Igor Iuriev, Agrarians Lost GMO, UTRO.RU (June 27, 2016) (in Russian).)
In 2020 the government updated this law and added new conditions, which include the prohibition of certain types of packaging that could contaminate the food, along with genetic cloning for livestock. However the bill is not perfect in that still allows for some artificial flavorings, similar to the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards in packaged foods.
Russian legal firm M/Legal explains the updated laws:
Art. 4 of the Law provides general requirements for production of organic food. First, the physical separation of production of organic products from the production of non-organic products shall be provided. It is prohibited to use agrochemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, growth stimulants for animals, hormone drugs, other than those permitted under national, intergovernmental and international standards in the field of organic production in force in the Russian Federation.
There is a ban on the use of embryo transplantation, cloning and genetic engineering methods, genetically modified and transgenic organisms, as well as products produced using genetically modified and transgenic organisms. And it is prohibited to use hydroponic techniques for planting as well as ionizing radiation. Pest control shall be performed by using means of biological origin.
The selection of breeds or types of livestock shall be made taking into account their adaptability and disease resistance. Conditions conducing to the maintenance of health and welfare of animals, natural reproduction and the provision of optimal sanitary and hygienic indicators of the conditions in which they are kept shall be provided. At the same time, the use of food additives, technological additives, flavorings, flavor enhancers, enzyme preparations, trace elements, vitamins, amino acids, which are allowed in the Russian Federation at the national, intergovernmental and international levels for production of organic products, is permitted.
It is allowed to use biological, including probiotic, microorganisms traditionally used in food processing, as well as to use measures aimed at protection of animal products from microbial spoilage, based on the interaction of microorganisms in natural environment. Mixing of organic products with non-organic products during storage and transportation is prohibited. It is also prohibited to use packaging, consumer and transport packaging which can lead to pollution of organic products and environment, including the use of polyvinylchloride for packaging, consumer and transport packaging.
Getting Away From The West
A big of part of Russia’s major shift towards organics comes from the country seeking to disassociate itself from the West, well before the conflict with Ukraine arose, citing the toxicity of American and some Western foods, and observing the health of Americans.
According to a document that began to circulate in 2016 before their organic guidelines were put in place, President Vladimir Putin indicated that Russian families must be protected from GMO “food” and Western pharmaceuticals “at all costs.”
He reportedly stated:
We as a species have the choice to continue to develop our bodies and brains in a healthy upward trajectory, or we can follow the Western example of recent decades and intentionally poison our population with genetically altered food, pharmaceuticals, vaccinations, and fast food that should be classified as a dangerous, addictive drug.
We must fight this. A physically and intellectually disabled population is not in our interests.
Moreover, it is believed Putin or someone else involved in the talks described their view of the typical American in a blunt way:
[The average American is an] intensively vaccinated borderline autistic fat man slumped in front of a screen battling a high-fructose corn syrup comedown.
Russia was so committed to transitioning to organic and getting away from the West, that in 2015 Russia began to remove a wide variety of popular Western foods from stores, and demolished them – a time when Russia was furious over the recent coup orchestrated by the United States to overthrow the democratically elected government of Ukraine in 2014.
Russian media filmed officials steamrolling and burying tons of cheeses, fruits and vegetables, and other products like Nutella.
From today, agricultural produce, raw products and foods, which come from a country that has decided to impose economic sanctions on Russian legal entities or individuals … and which are banned from import into Russia, are due to be destroyed.
The agriculture ministry said in a statement
Russian pundits have also warned that the more Europe embraces GMOs and agrochemicals, the closer it gets to Russia’s front doors.
Russian author Elena Sharoykina wrote in 2016 that the ‘decision made by the Russian government was also influenced by environmental organizations, farmers and other representatives of Russian society, concerned by the absence of reliable scientific studies on the long-term (‘long-term’ comes here with an emphasis) risks of GMO food to human health and the environment. The Kremlin has also apparently taken into consideration the interests of national food security, as the world market of genetically modified (GM) seeds is monopolized by transnational, mostly American, German and Swiss based companies.’
She went on to highlight two the biggest lobbyists and agricultural and pharmaceutical monopolies, and their heavy influence on food in the West as to why it is the way that it is: Monsanto and Bayer.
SEE: Bayer Buys Majority Stake In CRISPR Edited Crops Company For “Farm-To-Fuel” Scheme
We want to believe that one day, in some miracle, corrupted European bureaucrats will be replaced by nationally oriented leaders. It is possible then, if it is not too late, we will form a ‘green axis’ Paris-Berlin-Moscow and through our joint efforts expand the borders of the continental GMO-free zone. That would allow us to protect the traditions of agriculture in the Old World, to develop organic agriculture and to reform the world economy according to the principles of sustainable development.
But can Europeans afford to wait for a miracle? Or is it high time to act?
Sharoykina wrote
Price Of Land
It is also worth noting that the price of Russian land is noticeable cheaper than land in the United States and others.
Russian-Farmland.com lists the average price points for different plots of land and where they are located.
- The most expensive territories in the list of Russian agricultural lands are the plots located in Southern Russia (Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, and Stavropol Territory). The price ranges from $2,500 to $5,000 per hectare or from $1,000 to $2,000 per acre.
- The best lands with black soils are located in the area of the Central Black Earth Region (Belgorod region, Voronezh region, Tambov region, Lipetsk region, and Kursk region). Price ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per hectare or from $800 to $2,000 per acre.
- The most interesting region for investment is the middle zone of Russia (the territory around the Moscow region). The region consists of good fertile land, but this is not black soil. The average annual temperature here is significantly lower than in the south of Russia, but high level of precipitation makes it possible to collect excellent harvest. This territory includes Tula region, Oryol region, Kaluga region, Smolensk region, Ryazan region, Vladimir region, Yaroslavl region, where the cheese of very high quality is produced, Kostroma region, where good cheese is also cooked, Tver region with lush grass where fodder grasses and flax are grown, Vologda Oblast, where the Vologda oil, which is the most famous oil in Russia, is produced, etc. The cost of land plots is much lower here. The price ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 per hectare or from $600 to $1,400 U.S. dollars per acre.
- The next interesting area is the Volga region which includes the lands in the floodplain of the Volga River. These territories are good for forage crops as well as grain, and oil crops, but the yield here is lower than in the Central Black Earth Region. These territories comprise of the Samara Region, the Penza Region, the Saratov Region, the Astrakhan Region, the Ulyanovsk Region, and the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The price ranges from $1,200 to $3,000 per hectare, or from $500 to $1,200 per acre.
- The north-western region also has a high investment potential. There are poor cereal yields, but this area is just an ideal place for the production of forage crops, as well as flax. These territories include Novgorod region, Pskov region, and Leningrad region. The price is from $1,000 to $2,500 per hectare or from $400 to $1,000 U.S. dollars per acre. On the territory of Russia, there exist even cheaper lands in the Urals or in Siberia, but they are not so attractive for investments due to the remoteness from the major centers with the large population (large number of consume.
Russia Beyond corroborated these numbers in 2012.
Looking at the data, we can say there’s good and bad news. The bad is that supply of land in Russia greatly exceeds demand, while the good is the potential for runaway growth in value.
Sovecon’s executive director, Andrei Sizov, said at the time
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.
Proverbs 13:17
How dare “evil Russia” go organic?!
Whoever said “[The average American is an] intensively vaccinated borderline autistic fat man slumped in front of a screen battling a high-fructose corn syrup comedown,” is hilariously accurate. It’s sad but true: that is the average American; and your typical family member will mock and ostracize you for wanting to cut out all the toxic crap. Even the preachers and the pastors up and down this country scorn clean eating the way God intended.
But here in “free America” your average serf is buying bottles of chemical-laced water from China, as the clean unpolluted creaks are banned from private use because the elites and monopolies bought them up, so they and their rich friends have clean water to drink. This is but of a myriad of examples I could rant about.
We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
Lamentations 5:4
Ever since going organic, and buying direct from farms that do things the right way, and cutting out all the junk, my health has drastically improved.
Russia has its own set of issues, but this is indeed good news to hear that they are taking radical and preemptive action against the West, whilst going organic and protecting their people’s health.
As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
Proverbs 25:25
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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