While most processed foods now contain genetically modified ingredients, GM produce has been considered off limits in recent years following the miserable failure of GM tomatoes and other vegetables in the 1990’s.
With consumers now “used” to genetically modified foods and seemingly rather complacent about the situation, Big Ag is testing the waters with “fresh” GM produce once again.
As early as this Fall, genetically modified sweet corn courtesy of Monsanto is expected to be available at a supermarket produce aisle near you.
It makes perfect sense for Monsanto to start it’s foray into GM produce with sweet corn given its death grip on the corn market – 60% within its control at last calculation.
Bill Freese, a science policy analyst with the Center for Food Safety, speculates that exposure to unprocessed GM foods may be even more dangerous than processed GM products.
“There’s a concern with these GE crops that we eat with minimal processing [like sweet corn]…we’re exposed to a lot more of whatever is in it versus a processed corn product,” warns Freese.
It is possible then for “fresh” GM produce to be paradoxically more dangerous than processed GM foods!
This is especially worrisome since the pervasive Bt toxin used in GM corn has been found in maternal and fetal blood samples and Mothers to Be are particularly motivated to eat fresh rather than processed foods. While the effects of the Bt toxin aren’t yet known, it certainly can’t be positive given that it disrupts the digestive process of insects eventually killing them.
Monsanto knows exactly what it is doing. Sweet corn is normally sold by the ear in big bins and does not lend itself well to branding with the Monsanto GM label.
Since retailers will have the choice whether or not to label the GM corn, this “blend in and don’t make waves” approach works to Monsanto’s advantage.
In other words, you can be sure that there won’t be any corn bins at the supermarket with the label “Monsanto GM corn” as this would be a huge negative for the campaign given Monsanto’s poor reputation with the public.
As Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, senior scientist at the Pesticide Action Network North American explains, “We [consumers] won’t know which corn is which.”
No doubt, this is exactly what Monsanto wants. Fast and easy consumer acceptance through ignorance. Stealth marketing at its finest.
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
Source: Monsanto Plans to Sell Sweet Corn In Your Local Supermarket
I’ve been very vigilant in buying fresh organic corn because I assumed the conventional variety was GMO. Is that not the case? Will there be any way to know when it is GMO vs. just conventional? Thanks!
p.s. I heard your Farmageddon interview for Tampa and I have arranged for a screening in Jacksonville, Fl on Oct 15.
This may already have been said, I didn’t read all the comments, but it’s AWFUL how many Monsanto executives have been high-ranking fed. government employees. And vice-versa. Check out “The Future of Food” movie. It came out at the start of all the GM/Monsanto stuff.
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. Do you know if grocery stores will know that they are selling GMO corn and if so, can they tell the consumer, if we ask?
Thanks so much for your help!
Love,
Mary
Small grocery stores will probably know but the big grocery chains – I doubt it. I wouldn’t trust their answer even still. These grocery managers for big chains don’t have much control or knowledge of the situation at the corporate level.
even the little guys usually buy from the produce auctions, and have NO IDEA what varieties they are buying, they just look for color or popular names, like “candy” onions. a lot of the farmers around here will lable any sweet onion “candy”, even if it’s not candy, or even a different color, because they’ll get a better price at the auction. corn is usually sold as white, yellow, bi-color, or “supersweet”.
There’s only one solution–and that is purchase corn from roadside stands and farmer’s markets! Vote with our dollars… and that also means eating corn in season and asking the farmer what kind of seed was planted…
alot of the famers around here plant GMO so they “don’t have to spray”, then proudly lable their produce “all natural, no spray”. many of them know nothing about GMOs, and if asked would say they don’t plant them, because they don’t even know they do, you have to know your varieties and ask for names….
To the people who were asking about seeds and where to get them. Here in MO we have a local heirloom seed company (I don’t forsee them ever selling out because they are so against Monsanto) Anyway they sell heirloom seeds that are not GM. If you are interested in getting one of their magazines and purchasing some of their seeds their web address is http://rareseeds.com/ My sister and I have purchased several of their different seeds and have been very pleased! The Abraham Lincoln tomatoes are my FAVORITE!!!
YES! they are awesome 🙂 I also buy from fed-co seeds
I have been avoiding all yellow corn and using white, as I was informed by a naturopathic practitioner that the white corn has not been modified yet. Anyone else hear this? Also, just FYI, I live in Texas and a couple of years ago, our Governor Rick Perry tried to mandate that all 6th grade girls take an HPV vaccine. The outcry was great, so they backed off. Monsanto and the drug companies are hoping he will be elected, so they will have more power. Do your research before you vote. We don’t need anymore of the status quo! Just FYI to people who ARE paying attention. God bless and save America. Thanks Sarah! Keep up the good work!
that is true, it’s not popular enough yet 🙂
“Fresh” GM Produce — Coming Soon to a Supermarket Near You
http://t.co/hU7yLp6
Ever notice that the bulk of commercials on TV are for products that are monitored by the FDA. These firms have serious mega bucks. One of the biggest grass roots affects that we can have as a culture, is to wean ourselves from the neighborhood grocery store. The neighborhood grocery store is a mecca for harmful knock-off foods. Don’t expect regulations to curtail the production and sale of knock-off foods. These outfits are major clients and revolving door fans of federal and state regulators.
Instead, consider this: Big Ag and industrial food producers have the same jugular vein as everyone else – the pocket book. The goods that we don’t buy from the grocery store is revenue that big ag and industrial food producers never see. That’s where the pain is.
Ciao, Pavil
More and more it seems that the neighborhood grocery store is not our friend. Once we abandon the meat case, the dairy case, the canned and boxed items, the produce case, the faux fresh fruit juice case, and the pharmacy section; what’s left. Perhaps the fish case and we still must be selective. Becoming a locavore is good.
Ciao, Pavil
Totally agree. We buy about 80% or more of our groceries from local farmers, not the grocery stores. So important to do so – you cannot trust what’s in the stores! And most of it is processed garbage anyways. So sad!
they are trying to get approval for GMO salmon and tilapia too, so just ditch the whole thing and buy local 😉
We try and stay as local as possible with nearly 26 varieties of local produce delivered to our store weekly.