Tuesday, July 8, 2008

GE Sugar beets

I received my Organic Consumer's Association newsletter today.

First of all, it said that a boycott is being called for for Kellogg's products - they are planning to switch to Genetically Engineered sugarbeets this year, stating that consumer's do not care if the foods they buy are genetically engineered or not.

I'm always bothered by genetically engineered foods - from a political and world-view standpoint, large companies sell ge corns and beans to farmers in poor countries so that the farmers cannot renew their resources (and are forced to buy again and again from them), as the ge plants do not seed. Monsanto sprays their toxins onto neighboring farms, and then sues the farmer for the dues owed for growing Monsanto's genetically engineered crops. From a natural standpoint, there are far too many "fake foods" (as we call them in my home) in this world, and it should be criminal the things that are passed off as nutrition - especially targeting the poor.

Today I learned that the reason sugar beets are being genetically engineered in the first place is so that they can withstand very high doses of herbicide.

Doesn't that appeal to you?

I've joined the boycott.