The
debate about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is heating up around
the world. As the label debate stalls in the US, the European
Parliament recently voted for mandatory labeling of all products that
contain 0.5 percent or more of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients.
The vote is being hotly contested by the US, which exports billions of
dollars worth of genetically modified crops. The US recently
threatened to bring litigation against the EU via the World Trade
Organization, saying that the labeling violates WTO export rules.
With all of this wrangling over the issue, consumers have been
taking notice. As a result, steady opposition to foods that contain
genetically engineered ingredients is continuing to grow worldwide.
According to a recent survey by Natural Marketing Institute, 40 percent
of consumers are concerned about the presence of GMOs in their food.
The natural foods industry in the US, which has grown from $1.9 billion
in 1980 to $16.2 billion in 2001, is also taking notice, and is
responding to the demand to put non-GE foods on the grocery store
shelves. In November 2001, natural foods retailing giant Trader Joes
announced that it will only offer products under the Traders Joes
label that are free of genetically engineered ingredients, stating the
majority of their customers preferred non-GMO products. In June 2002,
activist demonstrations against the use of genetically engineered foods
took place in 100 US cities. Protestors targeted multi-chain retailers,
including Safeway, Shaws, Publix, Food Lion and others, bringing the
concerns of consumers to the attention of mainstream supermarket
chains. Already, natural foods retailers like Whole Foods and Wild Oats
have responded to consumers by pledging to remove GE ingredients from
their store brand products.
With GE crops covering more than one-quarter of all US cropland,
itsnearly impossible for consumers to avoid buying products with GE
ingredients. But there is hope, and food manufacturers are finding ways
to source non-GMO ingredients to create choice in the grocery aisle.
One such manufacturer is Vermont-based Drews All Natural, which
has been producing all-natural salad dressing/marinades and organic
salsas for the past eight years. Two years ago, CEO/Chef Drew
Starkweather decided to make all his companys products completely free
of GMOs. Public awareness about GMOs was just beginning and I knew
that making our products non-GMO was the right thing to do. Sure, it
costs us more and we still need to compete price-wise, but what is the
cost if we alter all of our food crops and then find out it was a bad
idea? Our mission has always been to produce high quality products at
reasonable prices while creating a company concerned with the planet
and its inhabitants, says Starkweather.
In business, however, balancing personal values and mission with
the bottom line can sometimes be a difficult task. Tracking down,
verifying and purchasing non-GMO ingredients is more time consuming and
more expensive for us, but I think its worth it to us and to the
consumer, says Starkweather. Drews All Naturals business has doubled
each year over the past eight years, proving that the consumer demand
for GMO-free products is there for pioneering companies.
Lightlife Foods is also at the forefront of producing GMO-free
products. Since 1979, Lightlife has been creating soy-based products
such as Tempeh, Tofu Pups, Smart Bacon and other vegetarian meat
substitutes and it is now the leading brand of vegetarian and soy-based
foods in the US.
Lightlife is strongly committed to providing its consumers with
GMO-free products. The company uses only identity-preserved soy
ingredients, which have been tracked from seed to store to ensure that
theyre not genetically modified. They test and retest their finished
products to ensure that they do not contain any genetically modified
soy.
But according to Claire Burnett, Lightlifes Acting Director of
Research and Development, six years ago the company was not aware that
genetic engineering was even an issue. Back in 96, when Monsanto
first released its genetically engineered Round-Up Ready soybeans, we
started getting calls from our consumers. Until then we didnt even
know our ingredients could have been genetically engineered. We
immediately started contacting our suppliers, says Burnett.
Lightlife soon learned that there was no way to know whether the
soy ingredients they were purchasing were genetically engineered or
not. After Monsanto submitted its research on Round-Up Ready soybeans
to the USDA, the government approved them, claiming there was no
difference between these GE soybeans and those that were conventionally
grown. Because the USDA viewed these soybeans as a commodity, they were
handled the same as conventional soybeans and were released into the
food supply.
It is common practice for independent farmers to sell their
soybeans to brokers, who collect soybeans from multiple sources, store
in them silos, and sell on demand. Co-mingling of soybeans from many
different farmers to fill a silo is typical. When the GE soybeans were
first harvested, no segregation took place. There was no way to know
where the Round-Up ready soybeans were going, says Burnett. Because
there were no co-mingling requirements, we were possibly using GE
soybeans and we didnt even know it.
In the past three years, however, major growers and suppliers have
learned how to segregate GE crops from conventional crops, although the
boundaries are shaky. Public demand has really driven this issue,
says Burnett. Its a very emotional issue for people. Its the fear of
the unknown, a lack of trust in the government, and a basic belief that
maybe we just shouldnt be messing around with nature in this way.
People are wanting to take back control of the food supply.
Public demand continues to be the driving force behind bringing
the issue of genetic engineering to the forefront of political debate.
With global opposition to GE crops increasing in Europe, China, Africa
and other countries, the US is being forced to recognize that must heed
consumer demand if it is to remain competitive. At the WTO market
opening talks in August, Reuters reported a USDA representative
admitting, Commodity segregation to meet various customer needs is
becoming essential to capture markets and values.
But will consumer demand win out over the billion-dollar biotech
industrys lobby to promote genetic engineering? While the US is
beginning to cave amid growing global demand, its regulation of GMOs
remains non-commital. The White House Office of Science and Technology
Policy recently suggested that GE crops undergo a preliminary
assessment before they become so large that contamination would be
likely. The assessment itself, however, would not be required. The USDA
announced it would create a crop and supply chain segregation system to
verify if exports of US corn, soybeans and other crops had been
genetically altered. Again, US companies would not be required to use
the system.
For manufacturers like Drews All Natural and Lightlife Foods,
finding and using non-genetically modified ingredients is possible
today. However, manufacturers may not be able continue to afford to
produce GMO-free foods if multinational corporations continue to drive
down the costs of farming with GE seeds. Will farmers and suppliers be
able to adequately maintain control over contamination if biotech
companies continue to lobby against public outcry for further testing
and research?
According to Starkweather, Right now the costs of sourcing
non-GMO ingredients is do-able, but in the future if contamination of
non-GMO crops cant somehow be managed, there will be fewer options and
the costs will be driven up. Im dedicated to staying non-GMO, and the
consumer demand is there too. I think I have a right to know what Im
eating and what Im feeding my children. As a food manufacturer, I want
to give consumers that same choice.
Kristen Cichocki is a freelance writer and Ada Comstock Scholar at
Smith College, where she studies law, trade and public policy issues.
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