The Beginning of the End for Genetically

[Guest guest]

<< Published on Thursday, November 29, 2001 in Tidepool

The Beginning of the End for Genetically Engineered Food?

by Phil Howard

 

With little fanfare, on November 13, grocery chain Trader Joe's announced

plans to remove genetically engineered ingredients from its private label

products.

 

This is not insignificant news, as 85 percent of the products sold by

Trader Joe's are emblazoned with the store name. It also brings the

fast-growing company into a small group of grocery chains, including Wild

Oats and Whole Foods Market, which have made similar pledges.

 

Although Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market worked willingly to ensure the

purity of their products, Trader Joe's decision followed in the wake of

pressure from its customers.

 

Prior to the announcement, the CEO was receiving more than 100 letters a

day demanding the removal of genetically engineered (GE) food from store

shelves. In addition, a coalition of grassroots groups organized anti-GE

demonstrations in front of Trader Joe's stores in more than 20 cities.

Similar campaigns in Europe led to removal of GE ingredients from store

labels of most major grocery chains, as well as a moratorium on planting

or importing new GE organisms since 1998.

 

Why has it taken so long for a movement against GE food to achieve a

victory in the United States? Conventional wisdom has it that Americans

do not care about the quality or purity of their food. This was the

rationalization for a

double standard over the past three years, as manufacturers removed

genetically engineered ingredients for European markets, but took no such

steps for the US market.

 

For example, Aldi stores in Europe removed GE ingredients from store

brands in 1999, but Theodore Albrecht (from one of the wealthiest

families in the world) did not extend this policy to the Aldi or Trader

Joe's stores he owns in the US.

 

Recent surveys suggest that in point of fact, most Americans were unaware

of the recent introduction of GE organisms into the food supply. A Gallup

poll released April 11, 2000 indicated that only 14 percent of US

citizens had heard a great deal about the issue. This lack of awareness

is intentional.

 

Chemical and pharmaceutical corporations like Monsanto have deliberately

introduced genes from viruses, bacteria and other organisms into our food

supply, nearly in secret. Monsanto, through its influence on political

appointees in the EPA, FDA, and USDA, has successfully prevented GE food

from being labeled as such, despite opposition from scientists within

these government agencies.

 

Genetic engineers are well aware that consumers will reject food polluted

with foreign genes, if given a choice. The power of the industry is such

that they were successful in taking away this choice from US citizens in

1993, when the first GE foods slipped into grocery stores unannounced. As

a result, as much as 70 percent of the processed food in a typical

grocery store contains GE organisms, according to the Grocery

Manufacturers of America.

 

Trader Joe's recent decision suggests that the chemical and

pharmaceutical industry victory may have been Pyrrhic. As activists

expose government complicity with these corporations, faith in the safety

of the US food supply is weakening and resistance to GE food is growing.

 

In response to the campaign against it, Trader Joe's recently conducted a

poll of customers and found that more than 90 percent would avoid GE

products if given a choice. This mirrors survey results from Europe, and

suggests that

Americans care just as deeply about food. The rapid growth in sales of

organic foods, which do not contain GE organisms (unless contaminated by

neighboring fields), underscores this concern. As awareness of GE foods

reaches levels seen in Europe, the wholesale rejection of what the

British have dubbed " Frankenfood " is likely to be duplicated in the US.

 

Phil Howard is a Ph.D. candidate in Rural Sociology at the University of

Missouri. He presently lives in Portland, Oregon.

>>

[Guest guest]

As usual, our media keep critical information from us, and, later, tell us

that we're not interested in the matters they don't tell us anything about.

Duh!

-

<dfnewman

<rloprete

Saturday, December 15, 2001 2:41 PM

The Beginning of the End for Genetically

 

 

>

>

> << Published on Thursday, November 29, 2001 in Tidepool

> The Beginning of the End for Genetically Engineered Food?

> by Phil Howard

>

> With little fanfare, on November 13, grocery chain Trader Joe's announced

> plans to remove genetically engineered ingredients from its private label

> products.

>

> This is not insignificant news, as 85 percent of the products sold by

> Trader Joe's are emblazoned with the store name. It also brings the

> fast-growing company into a small group of grocery chains, including Wild

> Oats and Whole Foods Market, which have made similar pledges.

>

> Although Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market worked willingly to ensure the

> purity of their products, Trader Joe's decision followed in the wake of

> pressure from its customers.

>

> Prior to the announcement, the CEO was receiving more than 100 letters a

> day demanding the removal of genetically engineered (GE) food from store

> shelves. In addition, a coalition of grassroots groups organized anti-GE

> demonstrations in front of Trader Joe's stores in more than 20 cities.

> Similar campaigns in Europe led to removal of GE ingredients from store

> labels of most major grocery chains, as well as a moratorium on planting

> or importing new GE organisms since 1998.

>

> Why has it taken so long for a movement against GE food to achieve a

> victory in the United States? Conventional wisdom has it that Americans

> do not care about the quality or purity of their food. This was the

> rationalization for a

> double standard over the past three years, as manufacturers removed

> genetically engineered ingredients for European markets, but took no such

> steps for the US market.

>

> For example, Aldi stores in Europe removed GE ingredients from store

> brands in 1999, but Theodore Albrecht (from one of the wealthiest

> families in the world) did not extend this policy to the Aldi or Trader

> Joe's stores he owns in the US.

>

> Recent surveys suggest that in point of fact, most Americans were unaware

> of the recent introduction of GE organisms into the food supply. A Gallup

> poll released April 11, 2000 indicated that only 14 percent of US

> citizens had heard a great deal about the issue. This lack of awareness

> is intentional.

>

> Chemical and pharmaceutical corporations like Monsanto have deliberately

> introduced genes from viruses, bacteria and other organisms into our food

> supply, nearly in secret. Monsanto, through its influence on political

> appointees in the EPA, FDA, and USDA, has successfully prevented GE food

> from being labeled as such, despite opposition from scientists within

> these government agencies.

>

> Genetic engineers are well aware that consumers will reject food polluted

> with foreign genes, if given a choice. The power of the industry is such

> that they were successful in taking away this choice from US citizens in

> 1993, when the first GE foods slipped into grocery stores unannounced. As

> a result, as much as 70 percent of the processed food in a typical

> grocery store contains GE organisms, according to the Grocery

> Manufacturers of America.

>

> Trader Joe's recent decision suggests that the chemical and

> pharmaceutical industry victory may have been Pyrrhic. As activists

> expose government complicity with these corporations, faith in the safety

> of the US food supply is weakening and resistance to GE food is growing.

>

> In response to the campaign against it, Trader Joe's recently conducted a

> poll of customers and found that more than 90 percent would avoid GE

> products if given a choice. This mirrors survey results from Europe, and

> suggests that

> Americans care just as deeply about food. The rapid growth in sales of

> organic foods, which do not contain GE organisms (unless contaminated by

> neighboring fields), underscores this concern. As awareness of GE foods

> reaches levels seen in Europe, the wholesale rejection of what the

> British have dubbed " Frankenfood " is likely to be duplicated in the US.

>

> Phil Howard is a Ph.D. candidate in Rural Sociology at the University of

> Missouri. He presently lives in Portland, Oregon.

> >>

>

>

>

> Getting well is done one step at a time, day by day, building health

> and well being.

>

> To learn more about the Gettingwell group,

> Subscription and list archives are at:

> Gettingwell

>

>

[Guest guest]

Of course not. The huge supermarket chains that have our best interest at

heart in keeping the prices down serve up huge portions of " comvenience

toxins " in their prepared ready to go lunches and dinners. if you ever stop

and read the ingredients in some of the meals they prepare for us to take

home and nuke in microwave ovens How can anyone question the condition of our

lives and health.

I have become so self educated that it makes me gag now and I say this with

a humble heart because I used to eat this stuff myself

and worse fed it to my kids!!!

 

donna

 

 

In a message dated 01/16/12 1:34:03 AM, counterpnt writes:

 

<< As usual, our media keep critical information from us, and, later, tell us

that we're not interested in the matters they don't tell us anything about.

Duh!

---- >>