Say “No” to GMOs

At Upstarts, we embrace the principles of organic farming and that includes the food we grow and buy for our families and ourselves. Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, by their very definition, are not “organic” because they don’t normally occur in nature. The World Health Organizations defines GMOs as: “organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.”

The lack of meaningful controls and the FDA fast-tracking of GMO approvals deeply concerns us. When you select an Upstarts plant, you can be assured that it is a product of Mother Nature, not a laboratory test tube with patents attached to it. There is still much to learn about the long-term effects of genetically engineered foods. We plan to continue growing our plants using proven, sustainable organic farming methods.

CCOF GMO/GE Technology Policy Position
As a Member of CCOF, we support the Say “No” to GMOs policy position on GMO/GE technology and what it means to be a part of the organic farming community. There is more to organic farming than being GE-free. Growing plants organically is paramount to us since there are currently no mandatory labeling laws in place in California today. By purchasing organic foods, you can be confident that you aren’t eating genetically engineered food.

GMO Labeling
Did you know that you could be buying and eating GMO foods and you wouldn’t know it because companies are not required to label hem as genetically modified foods?

The transfer of genetic material between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks to the ecology of the planet and to our future. Wouldn’t YOU want to know if you were buying and consuming foods that had been altered by genetic manipulation? Did you know that over a quarter of the crops grown in the USA are derived from biotechnology? Do you by products from Frito-Lay? Kellogs?

The movement to demand labeling of GMO foods is spreading, but it’s not going to happen if our country doesn’t stand up and say we want labeling! Europe and Japan have already done so — so should we!

Resources

California Right to Know GMO
The California Right to Know GMO bill [SB 1381] was introduced February 2014 by Senator Noreen Evans. According to the text, genetically engineered food shall be labeled “in clear and conspicuous language on the front or back of the package of that food product with the words ‘Produced with Genetic Engineering’ or ‘Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering.’ You can read the bill text here.

Center for Food Safety
The Center for Food Safety is a small but mighty national non-profit organization and advocacy organization that is working to protect human health and the environment by curbing the use of harmful food production technologies and by promoting organic and other forms of sustainable agriculture. We strongly urge you to sign up for their news alerts.

True Food Shoppers Guide Mobile App
Want to know which supermarket foods are genetically modified? Here’s an app to download for your mobile phone or tablet.

Seeds of Doubt
Read about environmentalist Dr. Vandana Shiva in the article Seeds of Doubt, in the New Yorker magazine (published 8/25/14) or visit her website.