Organic Valley Responds

Organic Valley/Organic Prairie responds to my letter of inquiry regarding the Organic Consumer's Association (OCA) accusations that the company no longer opposes the mass commercialization of GE crops. They state very strongly that these accusations are false and they have not "sold out" to Monsanto and continue to be committed to keeping organic crops safe from GMO's.


Date:   1/30/2011 5:26:13 PM   ( 13 y ) ... viewed 17956 times

01/29/2011 07:19 AM
Thank you for contacting Organic Valley and Organic Prairie.

The family farmers of Organic Valley and Organic Prairie have not and will never knowingly or willingly utilize genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in any of our products, processes or feed. We have held this position since our inception in 1988.

To comment on the recent OCA article, and to set the record straight, we are not nor have we ever 'sold out' to Monsanto. The controversy came down to a difference in opinion over approach - not a difference in commitment to keeping organic safe from GMOs and protecting organic integrity. In recent months we've been at the table at the USDA, because that is where the battle was being fought, along with others in the organic community, like the Center for Food Safety, Whole Foods, Stonyfield, UNFI, and the National Coop Grocers Association.
(For background on the GE alfalfa issue please visit, http://strongertogether.coop/from-the-source/we-support-an-organic-future/,
and http://strongertogether.coop/at-the-market/ge-alfalfa-background/.)


On January 27, 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced their decision to fully deregulate Roundup Ready Alfalfa for commercial sale. This decision impacts our food security, the diversity of our agricultural system and consumer choice. The issue is especially critical for the growing organic dairy sector, through which many farmers rely on organic alfalfa for feed. We are deeply disappointed with the USDA's decision.

Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative strongly opposes GMOs. GMOs are a continued trend in industrial agriculture, pushing the small family farmer off the farm with cheaper food and more expensive on-farm costs. The safety of GMOs is highly questionable. Worse, there is no labeling of products that use GMOs, so consumers cannot make choices in the market place.

The USDA's decision can only renew our commitment to fight GMOs. This will be a life long struggle for many of us, and one that we can never give up on. We will continue to explore all available legal and regulatory actions we can take to protect organic farmers and consumers, and develop ways to maintain the integrity or our products given this new decision.

We hope you will take the time to read more about Organic Valley and our struggle to stop GMOs at, http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/gmos/,
and http://www.organicvalley.coop/community/organicsense/article/article/gm-alfal...
Also, you may want to read the Press Release for the Center for Food Safety, dated 1/27/11, http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/2011/01/27/usda-decision-on-ge-alfalfa-lea...


If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Sincerely,


Kimberly Rundle
Organic Valley
Customer Relations Manager
888-444-6455
kim.rundle@organicvalley.com
A Farmer Owned Cooperative!

Celebrating 20 years
of Organic Partnership!

 

Original Blog: Whole Foods In Bed with Monsanto? Organic Consumer's Association accuses Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farm of "publicly admit(ing) that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for 'coexistence' with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack (U.S. Secretary of Agriculture)." http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1760836

Stonyfield Farm Responds: Stonyfield Farm responds to my letter of inquiry regarding the Organic Consumer's Association (OCA) accusations that the company no longer opposes the mass commercialization of GE crops. They state very strongly that these accusations are false and they will continue to vehemently oppose GMO's.   http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1761609

Whole Foods Responds: Whole Foods Market responds to my two emails of inquiry regarding the Organic Consumer's Association (OCA) accusations that the company no longer opposes the mass commercialization of GE crops. They state that the OCA "distorted" their position and that they were trying to secure protections for organic farmers in light of the USDA's stance of approval for Monsanto's GE alfalfa. READ Whole Foods Market responses here: http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1762220

 

OCA Responds  Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association responds to my email seeking comment on the OCA accusations against Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farms. OCA stands by it's original accusations that these 3 companies betrayed the trust of organic consumers.

 

 

Sign the Petition sponsored by the Organic Consumer's Association calling for Truth-in-Labeling regarding GMO's and Factory Farms: http://www.capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=21526516&t...

 

Two Action Alerts! Demand President Obama Stop Monsanto's GE Alfalfa!
A) http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5667 

B) http://ota.capwiz.com/ota/issues/alert/?alertid=24747501.

Related Blog: Letter to Whole Foods Market http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1760843 I wrote an email to Whole Foods Market telling them I would no longer be a patron of their store until they clearly labeled their non-organic foods with the label "May Contain GMO's". 
 

 

 

 

 

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