PR Newswire: "Food activists demand Trader Joe's provide proof foods sold in stores are not contaminated by Monsanto."

Farmers march against Monsanto. (photo: AFP)

Occupy Monsanto to Shop for Truth at Trader Joe's

By PR Newswire

28 July 12

Food activists demand Trader Joe's provide proof foods sold in stores are not contaminated by Monsanto.

n Sunday, July 29, 2012, Occupy Monsanto's agents of change with the Genetic Crimes Unit (GCU), a group designed to protect America from genetically modified foods, will 'Shop for Truth' at Trader Joe's during a nationwide weekend of activism targeting the chain grocer. The DC-area GCU will gather in hazmat suits at noon outside the Trader Joe's location at 1101 25th St. NW, Washington, DC to demand that the Monrovia, California-based Trader Joe's provide proof that the foods sold in their stores under their own brands are free of Monsanto's patented genes.

According to the Trader Joe's website, the grocer sources all ingredients for its private label brands from non-genetically engineered crops, but provides no proof of this claim, nor does the grocer work with any known 3rd party verification services. The GCU believes that Trader Joe's may be genetically contaminated by Monsanto's gastronomical experiments and will be joining other GCUs from San Francisco, California to Portland, Maine over the weekend to demand that Trader Joe's go beyond mere assurances and provide its customers with proof of their claims.

"If Trader Joe's takes pride in the food they sell, why do they hide the truth from their customers?" asks GCU Agent Stacey Sanchez, "We don't trust corporations like Trader Joe's that have a profit motive, so the burden of proof lies in the corporate offices of Trader Joe's." The DC-area GCU has reason to believe that Trader Joe's non-private label foods, which are not certified USDA Organic and contain corn, soy, canola, or sugar beets, are likely to be contaminated with genetically engineered ingredients.

"We will not spend thousands of dollars to send Trader Joe's foods to laboratories for testing, instead we want Trader Joe's to come clean," says GCU Agent Richard Smith, "Trader Joe's could easily become America's first certified GMO-free grocery chain, but they won't as long as they're selling so called non-GMO foods without proof."

WHO: Occupy Monsanto's Genetic Crimes Unit (GCU) & Concerned Citizens

WHAT: Shopping for Truth at Trader Joe's, Protest and Street Theater

WHEN: Sunday, July 29, Noon

WHERE: Trader Joe's, 1101 25th St. NW, Washington, DC 20037

For the week of September 17, 2012 Occupy Monsanto's GCU Agents have organized more than 40 global actions targeting Monsanto, the biotechnology industry, and points of genetically engineered food distribution. More details at: http://www.Occupy-Monsanto.com.

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+12 # Doggone 2012-07-28 08:02

I'm glad to hear it. I've been suspicious of Trader Joe's for a long time. This is a recurring issue with this company. They look good and lots of people shop there because they want to believe they are buying the best products for their money. If it is true that they are tainted with GMO foods, well then, they are going to lose credibility.

I see young mothers shopping there a lot and when I had young children I cared a lot about what went into their growing bodies and as much as possible grew my own foods and shopped locally for meats that were grass fed etc. To be deceived about this when you think you are taking the best precautions for you beloved young ones will produce a back lash.

+11 # Vardoz 2012-07-28 09:13

So they are representing something but they are not willing to prove it. Thar's cheesy. I understand where they are coming from but this is the world that they live in.

-28 # diacad 2012-07-28 09:17

These "food activists" are obviously in no danger of being contaminated by common sense. Although there is a small possibility of a malicious modification (bioterrorism or the like), there is no hard evidence that ordinary GM foods ipso facto pose a health danger or deficit. See http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140103.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food_controversies#Safety_assessments for a balanced view. Genetic modification of our food supply has gone on quietly for centuries by farmers, plant and animal breeders, and scientists - and even before human intervention with the natural selection occurring during biological evolution. Without GM, there would be much less food on our increasingly more populous world table, therefore higher prices and even more starvation and malnutrition, a thing of little concern to these "activists". For instance, GM rice has been welcomed in the Philippines, where in place of one crop a year, now 2 or 3 can be harvested (fair disclosure: I have inlaws there who are rice farmers). Whether Monsanto has anything to do with it or not, almost certainly the food most of us eat today will have GM components.

0 # MJnevetS 2012-07-31 05:02

Quoting diacad:

Without GM, there would be much less food on our increasingly more populous world table, therefore higher prices and even more starvation and malnutrition

You should do a little fact checking. Monsanto crops produce a LOWER yield than their non-GMO counterparts (despite hype by Monsanto to the contrary, this is well documented) Further, you should look at INDEPENDENT testing done outside the United States (where the regulators, and thus the information is corporately controlled) a study published by the International Journal Of Biological Sciences found that rats ingesting the corn were subject to statistically significant amounts of organ toxicity. (http://www.biolsci.org/) while a definitive study would take 10 years or more, humans are the new corporate lab rats. There is NO significant testing to determine how these Frankenseeds will affect not only the human population, but our environment (the disappearance of the bees has been linked to GMO crops, and (as attributed to Einstein, though he never said it) "when the bees go, we go." Putting the hyperbole aside bees, as pollinators, are necessary for upwards of 10% of our crops. Further, these GMO strains are causing mother nature to up the ante. New super-resistant pests are turning up which are immune to Monsanto's poisons; but you know who isn't immune? You and I!

+20 # JCool 2012-07-28 09:29

Trader Joe's presents its "hip and happenin" storefront -- implying an awareness of global food, growing etc BUT, if they do not comply with regards to GMO's that is just another check on the list. Addiionally, TJ never responds to groups who have pushed for better accountability on where food is sourced. And GMO foods ARE diffferent than others -- India is fighting GMO, Europe doesn't accept GMO and Monsanto gave us "sterile seeds" in addition to corn with pesticide INSIDE. I would say those Americans who are complacent about GMO aren't up on the full story. The fact that it is forced on us -- without knowledge - not good. Much like the other food additives, dyes, preservatives, poisons that are in our food....not healthy --- support organic growers and grocers

+12 # Street Level 2012-07-28 11:12

As much as I would love to see TJ's come clean (and all stores) it's buyer beware out there. Even USDA Certified Organics are tainted but I at least know that if I choose to buy it. Anything that contains corn, soy, canola, etc. that's not labeled is GM to me and is avoided. I already get enough chemical and pesticide exposure from being a carbon-based life form on this planet and certainly can't see where more is good.
Whole Foods caved to the GM scene this year uttering some crap about a "coexistence" with Vislack and should change their name to "Half Foods". Seek out the farmers markets, organic growers, community gardens, start your own in 5 gallon buckets if you have to. Vote with your wallet, buy local, support growers and Boycott Kellogg's.

+11 # She Cee 2012-07-28 11:39

I am a Trader Joe's shopper and would be terribly disappointed to learn that TJs is deceiving us.

Having said that, I believe that we have been eating GMO food for many years. Corn on the cob has been consistently sweet for years. Not by accident, I assure you. Many improvements in the flavor of our fruits and vegetables (and variety of flowers) have come from farmers experimentation with cross pollination. (Genetic Modification)

But that differs greatly from foods being
modified with fish or pig cells or with pesticides to make them resistant to bugs or to keep them looking fresh for longer periods of time.

But there is a bigger problem here. Most people don't realize that what Monsanto and other companies are trying to do with their GM seeds (which won't produce viable seeds for future crops) is attempting to take control of world food supplies. That will happen if the only seeds farmers can purchase to plant are GM seeds.

Even now, when a GM seed drifts onto an organic or non-GM farm, Monsanto is suing and winning cases against these farmers for patent infringement.

Where is the justice?

So there are many more issues here than non-disclosure of GMOs in the foods we eat.

Next issue: Water rights (and future wars).
STAY TUNED

PS: If you chose to comment, please state about what and to whom you are responding.

-5 # RSNRC 2012-07-29 12:14

RE:
" The GCU believes that Trader Joe's may be genetically contaminated by Monsanto's gastronomical experiments ..."

Excuse me, but what proof exactly does the GCU have that Trader Joe's is NOT telling the truth ?

Sorry, but it works both ways! This is hypocritical BS.

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