Sugar Alert ! ! ! - The complicity and duplicity of companies that say they're Organic

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ALERT: Genetically Engineered Sugar to Hit U.S. in 2008

 

Background Information: American

Crystal, a large Wyoming-based sugar company and several other leading

U.S. sugar providers have announced they will be sourcing their sugar

from genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets beginning this year and

arriving in stores in 2008. Like GE corn and GE soy, products containing

GE sugar will not be labeled as such.Since half of the

granulated sugar in the U.S. comes from sugar beets, a move towards

biotech beets marks a dramatic alteration of the U.S. food supply. These

sugars, along with GE corn and soy, are found in many conventional food

products, so consumers will be exposed to genetically engineered

ingredients in just about every non-organic multiple-ingredient product

they purchase.

The GE sugar beet is designed to withstand strong doses of Monsanto's

controversial broad spectrum Roundup herbicide. Studies indicate farmers

planting " Roundup Ready " corn and soy spray large amounts of

the herbicide, contaminating both soil and water. Farmers planting GE

sugar beets are told they may be able to apply the herbicide up to five

times per year. Sugar beets are grown on 1.4 million acres by 12,000

farmers in the U.S. from Oregon to Minnesota.

Meanwhile candy companies like Hershey's are urging farmers not to plant

GE sugar beets, noting that consumer surveys suggest resistance to the

product. In addition the European Union has not approved GE sugar beets

for human consumption.

 

 

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