Food giant says no GMOs for us - Whole Foods Market

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http://www.examiner.com/x-5148-LA-Environmental-Health-Examiner~y2009m7d27-Food-giant-says-no-GMOs-for-us


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Whole Foods Market the leading natural and organic grocer, today announced a commitment to the Non-GMO Project -a non-profit collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, processors, distributors, farmers, seed breeders and consumers - to use the Non-GMO Project’s Product Verification Program (PVP) in connection with Whole Foods Market’s private label products.

The PVP is the nation’s first system designed to scientifically test whether a product has met a set of defined standards for the presence of genetically engineered organisms.

“From the moment GMOs were approved for use in the U.S., we recognized the need for transparency, but there was no definitive standard by which to evaluate or label products,” said Margaret Wittenberg, Whole Foods Market global vice president of quality standards. “We searched high and low for years for a way to do this and now, thankfully, the Non-GMO Project has answered that challenge by creating a standard and a practical system by which manufacturers may measure their products. At last, shoppers concerned about foods made with genetically modified ingredients will be able to make informed choices.”

According to the FDA, as much as 75 percent of processed food in the United States may contain components from genetically modified crops. Despite the abundance of products with genetically modified ingredients, a Pew Initiative study on Food and Biotechnology shows that 59 percent of Americans are unfamiliar with the issue of genetically modified ingredients in food.

“In 30 other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan and all of the nations in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production of GMOs, due to environmental impact and concerns about GMO safety,” said Megan Thompson, executive director of the Non-GMO Project.
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thank goodness!

[qb]

1. Awesome - I love Whole Foods!

:bounce:

[Blaze Diem]

2. Great to hear..it will take a definate voice and power in numbers to

head off corprogreedists like Monsanto & ADM.

More power to us all.

[katkat]

3. save organic and non-GMO agriculture

Whether you care about GMO/non-GMO for yourself and your family, the wholesale failure to keep GMO crops from cross-pollinating non-GMO crops miles away is reason enough to never buy them.

[closeupready]

4. That's terrific.

If I had one close to me, I would switch to them for basics, like butter and oil and grains. I guess there are a couple I could hit on my way home, just would have to switch routes. This may be the incentive I need to do so.

[BanzaiBonnie]

5. I will definitely be shopping there because of this

I won't shop for everything, but... once they have me in the door...


It IS something I've been concerned about. I am so careful with certain ingredients and it really has upset me that there is no way for me, personally, to be able to know if something is GMO.

Good for Whole Foods. They are one corporation that knows how to swing in favor of the consumer.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. their labor practices, OTOH, not good at all.

google should produce a lot of news stories about that issue.

[backscatter712]

6. Good on Whole Foods!

I haven't always agreed with them, but it's nice to see them take a stand against frankenfood!

[nilram]

11. ditto on both counts -nt

[Triana]

8. GOOD! n/t

[MrsCorleone]

9. Here is an explanation of the PVP Seal:

http://www.nongmoproject.org/consumers/understanding-our-seal/

It's not a perfect system, but it's a good start.

Good call on WF's part. Let's see if the rest of the food industry follows.

[Yunomi]

10. Sounds good.

But continue to keep an eye on Food Hole. They are totally profit oriented. They'll do this as long as there's money to be made.