I've been posting information regarding the recent controversy between the Organic Consumers Association and other companies in the organic "community". Despite the controversy, it is important to remember that the USDA approved Monsanto's latest GE crop. TAKE ACTION to STOP GE alfalfa from being planted in the spring! SIGN PETITIONS for Truth-in-Labeling so you know if the foods you buy contain GMO's!

Date:   2/1/2011 1:12:34 PM ( 13 y ago)

Summary:

The Organic Consumers Association accused Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm of no longer opposing GE crops, and further stated that these companies are willing to "coexist" with Monsanto. Most damaging is the statement by OCA's spokesperson Ronnie Cummins that these companies were willing to "cut a deal" with Monsanto, the USDA, and Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, accusing the CEOs of Whole Foods and Stonyfield of being "personal friends" with USDA Vilsack and of making "financial contributions to Vilsack's previous electoral campaigns." The OCA goes further by accusing Whole Foods Market of perpetuating "fraud" against consumers by profiting from the selling of packaged foods labeled as "natural" when these foods contain GMO's.

I wrote to all three companies and asked them about the OCA accusations. All three companies responded with strong denials of these accusations, stating they did meet with USDA and tried to stop the approval of Monsanto's GE alfalfa for commercialization. They stated that when it became apparent that the USDA was going to approve the new GE crop despite their best efforts, then theses companies pushed for accompanying rules that would provide organic farmers with safeguards from being sued by Monsanto for copyright infringment (as they've done to other farmers) and monetary compensation in case their fields were contaminated by genetic drift. Unfortunately, the USDA approved Monsanto's latest GE crop, alfalfa, without any safeguards for organic farmers whose crops may become contaminated.

The OCA's Ronnie Cummins wrote to me that despite the three company's explanations of their actions when meeting with the USDA, their statements of continuing support for organic farming, opposition to GE crops, and support for truth in labeling (labeling the contents of packaged foods to inform the consumer whether or not the food contains GMO's), these three companies "betrayed the trust of organic consumers" because they were willing to try to "compromise" with the USDA over the issue of GE crops. The OCA's stance is that there can be no co-existence or compromise with GMO's, "period." The OCA has started "a nationwide Truth-in-Labeling campaign to stop Monsanto and the Biotech Bullies from force-feeding unlabeled GMOs to animals and humans."

I have posted all of the statements and emails from the OCA, Whole Foods, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, along with some of my own opinion, on this blog (SEE BELOW for links).

No matter what our opinions are regarding the apparent schism in the organic community, it is important to realize that the USDA, under the auspices of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, an Obama appointee, approved Monsanto's GE alfalfa for commercial use. We must take action by contacting the White House and President Obama to STOP this crop from being planted in the spring, when it will begin contaminating other crops, including organic alfalfa.

We must also make our voices heard for Truth-in-Labeling: The OCA states that "85-95% of American consumers want mandatory labels on GMO foods. Why? So that we can avoid buying them." If we know what's in our food, avoid buying those with GMO's, then the GMO industry will dry up, as it has in Europe where mandatory labeling has been in effect; "... in the EU there are almost no GMO crops under cultivation, nor GM consumer food products on supermarket shelves. And why is this? Because under EU law, all foods containing GMOs or GMO ingredients must be labeled."

TAKE ACTION:

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...


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.

C) You can also call or write to the President:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Please include your e-mail address

Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121


IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF YOUR OWN,
Write to Whole Foods Market: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company/service.php

Write to Stonyfield Farms: http://www.stonyfield.com/contact_us/index.jsp

Write to Organic Valley/Organic Prairie: Consumer Relations organic@organicvalley.coop
Write to Organic Consumers Association: http://www.organicconsumers.org/contact.cfm

If you want to learn more about the fight to eliminate GE crops from the food supply,  check out the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign  http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/index.cfm


Thanking you in advance!
Liora

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


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


Whole Foods Market 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. http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1762263


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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