Whole Foods Market Caves to Monsanto

WholeFoodsMarketAfter 12 years of battling to stop Monsanto's genetically-engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation's organic farmland, the biggest retailers of "natural" and "organic" foods in the U.S., including Whole Foods Market (WFM), Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farm, have agreed to stop opposing mass commercialization of GE crops, like Monsanto's controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa.

In exchange for dropping their opposition, WFM has asked for "compensation" to be paid to organic farmers for "any losses related to the contamination of his crop." Under current laws, Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs) are not subject to any pre-market safety testing or labeling. WFM is abandoning its fight with biotech companies in part because two thirds of the products they sell are not certified organic anyway, but are really conventional, chemical-intensive and foods that may contain GMOs and that they market as "natural" despite this. Most consumers don't know the difference between "natural" and "certified organic" products. "Natural" products can come from crops and animals fed nutrients containing GMOs. "Certified Organic" products are GMO-free. WFM and their main distributor, United Natural Foods, maximize profits by selling products labeled "natural" at premium organic prices.  (A typographical error in the second sentence of this story was subsequently corrected.  We regret this minor error.)

Comments

Whole Foods does not sell any diet products. You probably notice their Zevia zero calorie soda which contains stevia as a sweetner, which is a natural productt.

Wfm doesn't sell diet coke. I work for wfm. We don't sell ANY products with aspartame.

Whole Foods, Wal-Mart--no difference. Both guilty of green washing. Anyone who defends either of them is either a corporate shill or misinformed.

It may be required that you take your shoes off before entering "New Seasons", but the bottom line, is that New Seasons is a business they will sell anything that "sells" at about 20% higher than other less "conscious" shops. It's nothing more than clever marketing.

Everyone needs to step back and realize that WFM, New Seasons, or whatever "natural" grocery store near us is in this game for profit. We should all take the extra effort to find the local organic farm near us and buy our meat and produce there. They are also in this game for profit but they calculate the third bottom line - the human cost and benefit. If you can't find a local organic farm then plant your own garden. You can grow inside or outside. No space? Use a vertical approach. Don't have time? Join a cooperative of people willing to go that extra mile to make sure that the food we eat is not only good for you and your children, but is also good for our environment. We have to realize that in order to end corporate control, we have to take matters into our own hands. We should not be forced to choose between evil and less evil.

This is terrible. There is also that if one really researches GMO crops that the seed unfortunately have flown or drifted to other fields through the wind. According to one study there is sadly really no NON GMO crops left out here. Then chemtrails drop tons of toxins in our air and land.
As genetically modified foods are NOT natural in any way.......this is frighting.

I thought GMO seeds were designed to grow only one season. So... if they've cross contaminated, wouldn't the damage be temporary?

Hello,

Cross-pollination occurs after the crops are grown. It doesn't have anything to do with the seeds. And typically, the farmer could keep seed from the GMO crop, but he is forbidden to do so by contract. He must buy new GMO seed each year. The GMO company (like Monsanto) runs periodic inspections of the farms to verify that the farmer is not keeping back crop seed.

Cross-pollination means that the farmer whose field is contaminated is now in violation of the GMO company's contract and must pay the GMO company compensation for the "use of" the GMO crop. This has been established in court.

mp

Pages