OCA Responds by Liora Leah

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.

Dear

Thanks for your note. From our standpoint a company is either on record opposing GMOs (and not just with words, but with money and concrete actions as well) or else they are not. WFM, OV, and Stonyfield sat in on meetings (and accepted the USDA's decision to not allow the OCA to send a representative, see: http://www.organicconsumers.org/bytes/ob256.htm)
with the USDA and betrayed the trust of organic consumers. They have all admitted publicly they supported/support a "coexistence" compromise with the USDA to allow Monsanto's GE-alfalfa to be commercialized. We and most of our members oppose any compromise on this issue, period.

The real issue is truth-in-labeling. Consumers will choose certified organic products if there is truthful labeling in the marketplace. Will WFM, OV, and Stonyfield support OCA's campaign and agree to label any products likely containing GMOs or coming from a factory farm or CAFO? Even companies who are 100% organic like Organic Valley need to stay away from factory farm or CAFO practices in their beef, egg, and poultry production.

After 20 years of fighting against Monsanto and GMOs the strategy we have come up with is a GMO/CAFO truth-in-labeling campaign with mass participation-focused on the local marketplace and local legislative efforts, with a major emphasis on the fact that the so-called "natural" foods segment (twice as large as the certified organic market) is basically contaminated with GMOs and/or derived from Factory Farms. We lay this out in preliminary detail on our Millions Against Monsanto page here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/

We already have over a thousand volunteers across the country who have promised to help coordinate a truth-in-labeling campaign in their local Districts. We expect Whole Foods and other natural foods retailers to come into compliance once they receive enough pressure from their customers. We do not believe "mainstream" supermarket chains will comply unless they are forced to by local or state truth-in-labeling ordinances.

Any and all suggestions or help you can offer will be appreciated.

Regards and Solidarity,
Ronnie Cummins
Organic Consumers Association

6771 South Silver Hill

Finland, MN 55603

218-220-0950

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

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

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

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. http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1761617

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

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".

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&type=CU