Whole Foods Market Caves to Monsanto

by PRW Staff — January 28, 2011 - 3:09pm
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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.)

Main Source: 
CounterPunch, January 28, 2011

Comments

3 days from now a year ago...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 27, 2012 - 11:10am.

This article is dated 2011...

It's from 2011.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 27, 2012 - 10:39am.

It's from 2011.

We might as well sign our

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 26, 2012 - 9:07pm.

We might as well sign our children over to big money Start poisoning our children from the get go. More money for health care, so much for promoting health.

GMO's in our food

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 25, 2012 - 4:53pm.

The real issue at hand is that the FDA should make a law requiring all food producers and resellers to label the food that is grown with GMO's. We need to start with proper labeling and demanding that our food be label if it was Genetically Modified or not.
I believe with problems such as obesity and cancer on the uprise, especially in children, it would be another factor to track to see if GMO food sources have a contributing factor.
Aren't we concerned when developing Nations that have famines and large starvation problems will refuse the GMO grains and seeds that the USA donates to them? They would rather go without than contaminate their own food source, fields, and bodies.

GMO's in out food

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 29, 2012 - 9:00am.

A big problem in the US is food is not even ALLOWED to be labeled non-GMO. Organic is the only label you can use to infer this, and Monsanto is working on that too! (to allow GMO to be certified organic)

Poor countries SHOULD refuse GMO seed if only because they aren't allowed to plant their own grown seeds next year as they are patented. So they would be locked into getting their seeds from Monsanto every year.

whole fooda/gmo

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 25, 2012 - 3:43pm.

imo, the problem is that whole foods is a pseudo heath/natural food store. they are open to rip people off selling conventional foods as "natural" and have even been caught selling conventional as "organic." they sell foods made with hydrogenated oils,artificial sweetener which neither are natural or whole. I have never liked them , dont shop there and will drive past them to go to a local natural food co-op where they actually care about what they sell. so why are people surprised to learn that they are on the side of evil monsanto.i expected it.

Re: "I won't shop there anymore"

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 28, 2012 - 1:34pm.

So what's the alternative, go to the "normal" supermarket, which also sells some "natural" or "all natural" or occasional "organic" foods? How many of us can buy only from local farmers or grow all of our own foods, or afford to buy only at health food stores (some [or many] of which do the same as wholefoods)?
I think the best is to push for labeling. I like the California ballot initiative.

It's really wonderful to

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 28, 2012 - 1:00pm.

It's really wonderful to support real local growers selling at co-ops and farmers markets and I would encourage anyone to do so as much as possible. Just remember that those vendors, unlike a corporation (like WFM), can allow you to assume that their products are natural or organic and are not held legally accountable for that misrepresentation. Just because it's grown up the road and you can shake the farmer's hand doesn't mean they don't use chemicals. Additionally, there is absolutely ZERO truth to your statement that Whole Foods sells hydrogenated oils or artificial sweeteners. The phrase "all natural" isn't a lie it's simply misunderstood. In order for a manufacturer, producer, or retailer to slap that label on something it simply can not contain any synthetic or artificial ingredients. That doesn't mean an all natural cereal can't contain grains grown conventionally(with GMO's or pesticide). And finally Whole Foods Market's certified organic products are held to some of the highest standards in the country at the risk of being fined tens of thousands of dollars by the USDA who audits all of their stores regularly and at random.

Shill Alert

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 31, 2012 - 11:19am.

Wholefood employed TRollShill

Agreement

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 23, 2012 - 10:37pm.

So we don't know that Monsanto agreed to this do we? anyone?

I don't see how it really has any bearing, but I do appreciate WF wanting
to protect and repair the loss of organic growers. I hope their buying policies follow...you get my drift?

We can demand that they declare what they are selling. I think that's the point not boycotting, but helping make better decisions.