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

actually she doesn't. i

Submitted by WFM - Employee (not verified) on March 23, 2011 - 10:09am.

actually she doesn't. i looked up her name in our employee registry and she doesn't work for us. and working here, i can tell you WFM didnt just roll over and take it. we have had internal info passed around about the subject for a while now. not only that, there is a significant price difference between our conventional and organic products. in retail the the main factors are price, quality and service, you cant have the best of all three, you cant offer the best products with the best service and charge the lowest price, it doesnt work, so, WFM offer the high quality product with great service, at a higher price. the people who shop here know that as well. if you want the best deal, go to food maxx or winco. We don't carry anything that we know is GE. and there is a possibility of cross contamination anywhere. if your an organic corn farmer, and your neighboring farm is a monsanto GE corn farmer. there is a high probability that his crop will cross with yours and now your selling a hyrbid organic/monsanto GE corn. and how is that the fault of the retailer? as policy, any product we know contains GE ingredients we flag in the system as unsellable and immediately pull and either send back if the distributer requires, or we photgraph and destroy if they dont want it back. now that being said, there is a possibility that some things we sell contain GMO ingredients, but if the manufacturer doesnt know, how are we supposed to?

Agreed. I DO work for Whole

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 7, 2011 - 12:43pm.

Agreed. I DO work for Whole Foods Market(but I am not the person you just responded to). They present solidly to the public as a company that cares about the quality of their product. On the inside, we are told what to say regarding high-traffic controversial topics and prohibited to discuss "with the public" topics that could compromise corporate stature.

In defense, some stores dependent upon region, are capable of supporting local organic farms and do so with diligence. That said,in the end, WFM is corporate and corporate supports bottomline. And that folks, is the bottom line.

The only way to truly support organic, non-GMO crops is to frequent non-corporate mom and pop organic markets and/or to get back to your food source and grow your own. Save your seeds. Nurture your soil. Keep your water clean. Nature can and will restore itself.

Alternative perspectives of USDA decision

Submitted by CuriousG (not verified) on February 1, 2011 - 7:40pm.

Here’s a couple of different perspectives on the disagreement between the OCA and the Organic ‘cabal’. Essentially discrediting Ronnie Cummins’ version of events.

http://fairfoodfight.com/2011/02/01/cummins-vs-whole-foods-organic-smacktalk/
http://www.bnet.com/blog/food-industry/the-usda-says-yes-to-monsanto-and-now-organic…-milk-may-cost-even-more/2384

Are you an idiot?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 31, 2011 - 2:40pm.

Are you an idiot?

Please refrain from name calling

Submitted by Woody Pidcock (not verified) on March 3, 2011 - 12:03am.

Hmmmm. This is an ad hominem personal attack. It does not forward the conversation.

Of course Whole Foods Market (WFM) will speak in favor of its position on keeping an organic, GM free crop alternative alive and make decisions based, at least in part, on a profit motive. However, if I want to support keeping an organic option alive do I boycott WFM and Organic Valley for showing up at the negotiating table in Washington, DC?

I am reading this after the fact. Perhaps they could have fought harder for a GM-free position. I buy Organic Valley products and will continue to support these companies. What is the alternative? I don't have the time or the land to grow my own food.

Question to those angry at WFM, Organic Valley, et al. for "caving in": Now that USDA has ruled there will be no restrictions on GM crops, what positive actions do you recommend we take? Specifically, do we increase our activist support for WFM and follow their lead in fighting this battle, or is there some other organization we need to support that is working more effectively on keeping a GM-free, organic option available to consumers like me?

WFM GMO

Submitted by CM (not verified) on January 31, 2011 - 11:20am.

Seems like a cogent response from WFM.

GMO's and Illness

Submitted by JulieMoolie (not verified) on January 29, 2011 - 7:47am.

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.

Oh god, not another

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 21, 2011 - 1:17pm.

Oh god, not another "chemtrailer." GMO's pose real issues- and they really do exist. "Chemtrails" are nonexistent. Its a conspiracy for gullible people backed up by zero evidence or logic.

chemtrails

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 8, 2011 - 11:51am.

You are the gullible one thinking that chemtrails don't exist!
Ever seen crosses in the sky? Do those naturally occur? NO! Do they correspond to any regular scheduled flights? NO! Ever heard of GEO ENGINEERING? Do they make mining companies profit? YES

Naysayer of chemtrails

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 8, 2011 - 11:37am.

You are the one that is misinformed - there is PLENTY of evidence...just look at the astronomical levels of aluminum, barium and strontium in Mt. Shasta, where they have been keeping careful records for years: http://www.project.nsearch.com/forum/topics/mt-shastas-snow-hold-1200-x

Um...who do you work for?