Tech | August 15, 2008 | 19 comments

GM sugarbeets not a sweet proposition, and citizens are fighting back

source: http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/8/7/164144/8933?source=daily

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JanforGore
Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-- Anthropologist Margaret Mead

Even if you've heard the above quote many times before, the sentiment expressed is so powerful that I think it's worth repeating. All around the world, small groups of people are organizing public support for improved food safety and successfully challenging large corporations to change their behavior.

That's exactly what Flint Michigan residents Kathleen Kirby and Mark Fisher are banking on: their power to influence change. They're participating in a nationwide consumer boycott of Kellogg's Co. instigated by the Organic Consumers Association. By boycotting the world's largest cereal company, they hope to pressure Kellogg's into rejecting the use of sugar from genetically engineered (GE) sugar beets and to spark widespread market rejection in products ranging from cereal to baby food to candy.

As you may know, Roundup Ready sugar beets are genetically altered to resist Monsanto's toxic weed killer, Roundup, and its active ingredient, glyphosate. But here's the scary truth about these beets:

When the USDA first approved GE sugar beets for commercial planting in 1998, the EPA also increased the maximum allowable residues of glyphosate on sugar beet roots from just 0.2 parts per million to 10ppm. That's a staggering 5,000 percent increase of allowable toxins on beet roots. And, it's little surprise that EPA made this policy change at the request of Monsanto.

Sugar beet roots contain sucrose that's extracted, refined, and processed into the sugar used in the foods we eat. What this means is that the more GE ingredients that find their way into our food, the greater the likelihood that we are ingesting more toxic chemicals.

Thankfully, GE sugar beets have never been grown in the U.S. for sale to food manufacturers -- that is, until this year, when Western farmers planted their first crop of Monsanto's Roundup Ready sugar beets. Right now, over half of the sugar used in U.S. processed foods comes from sugar beets, with beet and cane sugars combined in those products. What's most disturbing is that once GE sugar beets hit the market, which could be as early as next year, there will be no way to know if we're eating GE sugar because GE ingredients are not labeled.

Currently, only four major GE crops are sold commercially -- corn, cotton, soy, and canola. Most of these are engineered to withstand repeated, large doses of herbicides. For the most part, these crops and their byproducts are largely fed to animals with the exception of some minor food ingredients and oils. GE beet sugar breaks with this tradition in that it could become the first major GE ingredient added to almost all processed foods on our grocery store shelves.
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Our food supply is systematically being taken over and poisoned by Monsanto.There is no other way to state it now. If sugarbeets are allowed to continue to become a part of our food supply, then you can expect that EVERYTHING you touch will be genetically modified, and it has NOT been proven to be safe for human consumption or our environment. Please, I have been writing on this for months along with others who have been trying to make people understand how URGENT it is that you get involved in pushing state legislatures to require proper labelling of GM sources in foods. Read up on this at the Monsanto tag and take action.

Citizen activism is the only way to make companies like Monsanto back down. Consumers did it regarding POSILAC, and we can do it with this. Current TV is the only place I have been able to get exposure to this so far aside from my own blog, and it is also because of people here voting the information up so more can see it. So thank you to those who fight the good fight here everyday over those who would do anything in their power to keep this down.
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19 comments // GM sugarbeets not a sweet proposition, and citizens are fighting back

  • wholefreespirit
  • cibalin
  • queenofit
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • darkhorsejim: So true. And we can all write our assembly members in state legislatures, our congressmen(women), our Governors, etc. WE have the power to demand full disclosure of the source of our food.

    • 3 years ago
  • darkhorsejim
    • 0
      darkhorsejim  

    • BOYCOTT ALL MONANTO PRODUCTS! They are the world leaders in Genetically Engineered & Genetically Modified food sources upon which all humans subsist. As they go global with this strategy, they are truly one of the most dangerous companies in the world as they attempt to monopolize the very essence of survival - legal ownership of patented single use seeds to grow our food, and unbelievably, must be purchased from Monsanto every year in order to plant your next crop.

      If you haven’t seen the documentary “The Future of Food” (or even "The Corporation") yet, I strongly urge you to do so. If I didn’t know that Monsanto’s goal of global food manipulation, distribution & ultimately complete crop control is perfectly legal, I would have thought this reaching the level of science fiction. However, this is one powerful & evil company that has Washington D.C.’s politicians, regulatory agencies & lobbyists in all their pockets.

      Don’t be fooled or misled, Monsanto is one of the biggest scum-sucking parasites ingratiating its way further into everyone’s daily life whether you are aware of it or not. Their logo should be the CEO with horns, a pointy tail & carrying a pitchfork in order to prod you into becoming a consumer of their products. Do not underestimate or do business with this company-you will only empower them to overpower us.

      Try to shop with as much awareness as possible, thinking about who ultimately gets your money, because it’s truly the only immediate defense we have until the right people are in the right positions to stop this evil empire. They will stop at nothing to keep any competitive products-usually organic & safe-off of store shelves in order to push their own toxic products on a society too busy to notice, in most cases, without the publicity of well meaning organizations & CURRENT’s contributors relentless search for the truth. Labeling is now becoming the next hurdle to conquer so that consumers will more easily be able to decide which products to purchase based on the ingredients & whether or not they’re organic.

    • 3 years ago
  • SonicSubculture
    • 0
      SonicSubculture  

    • We have Monsanto's lobbyists and an impotent, corrupt FDA to thank for this information missing on our food labels. Consumers should be allowed to make an informed decision... this is a cornerstone of the free market!

      Beyond worrying about our own health, what happens when all of the natural species have been polluted by these modifications through natural pollination?

      Perhaps even worse, what happens when the plants Round Up targets adopts these resistant characteristics? It'll take more exotic, stronger poisons, and you can be sure Monsanto will be there to feed it to us.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • What's sad is that for all of your whining about others' lack of knowledge, you hardly supply any of your own. A 5000% increase in allowable toxins from residue of glyphosate (and especially other chemicals it mixes with that may be even be more toxic) being allowed on beet roots considering that even 1% is too much considering the amount of foods, waterways, and air they will find their way into IS A BIG DEAL and does pose a threat to health. Also, if I'm not mistaken saccharin thankfully was pulled off the market because it was so 'safe.' But hey, if you want to eat foods made by the same company that made Agent Orange (and I'm sure you think that was safe in lower concentrations as well) go to it. However, those of us who care about what we put into our bodies and those of the ones we love demand the right to know if what we are eating was made in a test tube by a company that made PCBs. Enjoy your poison.

    • 3 years ago
  • plusaf
  • onechance
    • 0
      onechance  
    • plusaf:

      It's not about "fear provoking" it's about our RIGHTS. We have the right to know if this garbage is in the food we eat.

      And plusaf, we can all get a long here man. You sound so pissed...

      Have a great weekend all.

      ps. F.You MONSANTO.

    • 3 years ago
  • stephenthomson
  • uroborus8
    • 0
      uroborus8  

    • No corporation is more dangerous to the future of the world than Monsanto, not even Blackwater. As Monsatno continues to take over our food supply they will be the most powerful company on the planet.

      To truly boycott Monsanto one must avoid all soy, canola, corn and cotton, as well as sugur beats. It is challenging at first, but a good organic co-op should help you find products without these ingredients.

      JanforGore, Thank you again for highlighting the take over of our food supply. With knowledge, we can win this fight!

    • 3 years ago
  • onechance
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • Image

    • Good article on this by Jeffrey Smith.

      The one good thing about all of this is that perhaps all of this continued pushing and shoving of this fake food down the throats of consumers combined with more consumer education about the risks and the shady dealings between the FDA and Monsanto will bring about the ultimate downfall of GM foods in America. We can only hope for the safety and health of our citizens and environment.

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • Image

    • US consumer group warns agasint GM sugar beets

      The last sentence here is what made me wonder why that is not required in the US:

      The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), an American public interest organisation campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability has also urged consumers to take action against GM sugar beets on its website.

      The association draws consumers' attention to the fact that they would not be able to make an informed decision when buying foods containing sugar made from biotech beets as these foods would not have to be labelled as genetically modified products in the US.

      However, US food companies that export to European countries would have to label them as containing genetically engineered ingredients (EU Regulation 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed).

    • 3 years ago
  • brad62
  • stephenthomson
    • 0
      stephenthomson  

    • I dont eat Kellogg's anything as far as I know, but I do eat other brands of the same kind of food. for example, I eat storebrand bran flakes from Safeway.... should I assume there is the same kind of GM beet sugar in it?

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • stephenthomson:

      i would say yes unless it states the contrary on the package, which isn't required in this country. Unless of course it says sugar cane on the box, then it might not be. I don't know if you would even get a straight answer about it if you contacted Safeway, but you could always ask.

    • 3 years ago
  • bluestranger
    • 0
      bluestranger  

    • Until we get as close to organically produced foods as possible, we will continue to suffer poor health. Corporations focus on profit only. Talk to your local grocery mngr. If they don't listen get more people to talk to them. Always start at the local level. Give 'em hell, Jan.

    • 3 years ago
  • queenofit
    • 0
      queenofit  

    • Well here is my perspective on the sugar beets; seems Monsanto is targeting foods which (at least here in USA) we are addicted to, for example, corn (which is made into hfcs) and now sugar beets. In some ways, I say let them have that stuff, it is not good for us anyway. Boycott sugary foods forever!

      But of course that won't happen, people love sweets. I don't think all countries are as hooked on sugar as we are, and we (US citizens) should re-think that aspect of our diet anyway. More, almost all processed food has some kind of "sugar" added, what the heck is that about???

      But, good idea to boycott Kellogg company, I agree with that; good gosh cereals are simply processed sugar, and very little merit. Again, convenient I'm sure.

      Personally in this case maybe Monsanto is doing us all a favor, we need to get off the sugar addiction anyway!

      One last comment: think about it, now the sugar, which was already a bad thing, has become even worse! Thanks Monsanto.....

    • 3 years ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • queenofit:

      The problem is millions will not even know this exists, and how many know sugar is bad and still eat it because it is in foods unbeknownst to them. And children who definitely need to intake less sugar will still get it in processed foods.The key to all of this is proper labelling. We have to fight for that in this country, but people in greater numbers won't do that unless they have the facts first. But yes, I am feeling more encouraged to see so many standing up against their fake food. I believe if truth be told, that these foods have ruined the health of millions of people.

    • 3 years ago
  • huntre
    • 0
      huntre  

    • Simply put, I don't like the idea of being genetically modified against my will and, in most cases, without my knowledge.
      That's why I'm fighting.
      It should be more than enough for anyone to fight.

    • 3 years ago
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