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
There’s always a PLU code, but for things like corn, it’s probably input by the cashier.
I am confused. I thought a lot of fresh corn on the market was already GMO.
it is, the GM sweet corn has been on the market for at least 2 years, they just don’t tell us that :-/
The problem is corn sold by the ear in bins at the supermarket have no stickers.
Mark, unfortunately that’s a voluntary program, and I can’t imagine Monsanto suddenly volunteering to indicate the presence of their frankenfoods.
and the regular Joe keeps buying it…can’t believe people don’t wanna know or demand better!
Why is there not more public outcry over the seed and chemical giant, Monsano? I just watched Food, Inc. for the first time last week and it made me heartsick that Monsanto was going after small-scale farmers and seed-savers. This documentary was truly eye opening! Round Up ready seeds–no thank you!
Can a food, like frozen or fresh corn, be labeled organic but be genetically modified?
Organic labeling still requires a nonGMO product from what I understand. Don’t be surprised if even this protection disappears after awhile.
I fully expect to not be able to eat ANY corn at all sometime in the future. With the cross contamination of corn so rampant, it seems corn will no longer be a food my family will safely be able to eat even if organic sometime in the coming years. So incredibly sad.
Sarah, that’s my fear too. We’re already trying to be soy free (even before watching Food, Inc. but that just solidified this goal). It’s SO much harder than I every imagined! Not even chocolate bars are safe! Learning to prepare foods ourselves rather than buying packaged foods has certainly helped though!
I fear that eating locally (growing/raising as much food as possible and sourcing all other food from local farmers you know and trust) may someday be the ONLY way to eat worry-free! As it is now, I am planning to begin gardening again, using only non-hybrid seeds and practicing seed-saving. We need to make sure our children have some of these basic skills (gardening, keeping a few chickens, food preservation).
And where are you going to get the seeds? Monsanto pretty much controls the seed industry now, too. They’ve purchased Burpee and a couple of others, and soon will own them all. Between monsanto and walmart, we don’t stand a chance. They will soon own the world together.
There are ways… There are organic seed companies still like High Mowing
they don’t own burpee, but burpee, along with most other seed companies, buys from them. fedco won’t sell a monsanto owned seed, neither will bakers creek, seedsavers, or seeds from Italy.
I buy most of my seed from Bakers Creek Heirloom. I’ve been very happy with the seed I’ve got and I love how they are passionate about non-GMO. It probably will become a serious issue in teh not so near future that corn and other foods will be difficult to keep from cross pollinating.
Less than 10 yrs ago, this Bt corn was only allowed in animal feed here, but it was fed to 3rd world countries through various aid programs. I worked with a guy who initially signed one of the agreements with Monsanto, a huge compromise he was making to his values for the sake of feeding more people who might starve. I didn’t agree so I quit the job, after that. Now it’s being offered to us? How on Earth do these people think that ingesting pesticides (that cause the insides of insects to explode) are NOT going to affect us? 🙁
FYI, the stickers on produce are supposed to let you know if something is GMO. If it is 5 digits and starts with an 8, it’s GMO. If 5 digits and starts with a 9, it’s organic.
That is AWESOME Mark! I knew the “9” was organic but didn’t know the “8” GMO! Yay!! Thanks, that helps soooo much!! I refuse to buy corn since I can’t find organic anywhere. But I might have a couple of ears if I can find non-organic that isn’t GMO :o)
I saw an article recently that said Monsanto and other GMO producers realize that people know about the “5 digits and starts with and 8” label, and avoid purchasing this produce. Now they are NOT labelling differently from conventional anymore. Not sure if this is true, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
Exactly. Monsanto knows how to get around all the food labeling laws, so that’s exactly what they do – and have been doing for some time. I don’t trust food labeling of any kind anymore. I barely trust ingredient listings.
I don’t think there’s an ear of corn left on this planet which is untouched by monsanto’s gm/ge crap. It’s going to be that way with all produce before long. I’ve seen it in some veggies and fruits already. A cucumber is no longer a cucumber – they look, taste and feel like a cross between a zucchini and a cuke. They are so gross. And not long ago I bought several “organic” apples – not ONE of those apples had a seed inside. Freakish, genetically engineered stuff – under the guise of organic. Think you’re safe buying USDuh labeled organics? Think again. The most corrupt of all.
I think it’s a world we’re going to have to get used to living in because *we the people* doesn’t mean diddly any more. there IS no more *we the people*. It’s now a monsanto based world and that’s the truth. They have purchased their way into the inner sanctum of the kingdom. I don’t think a revolution would be able to stop what’s going on in our world now.
I hate it. We can’t continue to think we can use politics to fix political wrongs. It’s on the same par as thinking we can use medicine to fix bodily ailments. The thinking is all convoluted.
I don’t believe it’s a world we have to live in. If we choose we can grow all our own crops and buy produce only from farmers we know and trust. If these gm’ing companies got no sales then they’d have no business and they’d be forced to give the people what they wanted if they wanted to make a living. Money talks and Americas markets are the buyers markets. The best thing we can do is to educate each other and hope we ultimately own more land than they do! Uh oh…
It’s most certainly a world we must live in right now. And it isn’t so much about the land, it’s about the seeds (sorry to be terribly repetitious here folks). Do you know where the seeds/your seeds came from? That’s the biggest question around right now. If you don’t, you have no idea what you’re growing.
It is said that all zucchini and summer squash (crook necked yellow squash) is GM at this point. I believe it. They are absolutely gross.
Do you realize how big Monsanto is right now? They are HUGE and that’s an understatement.
not all…. baker creek heirloom seeds tests all of thier corn seed for GM contamination. and FED-co seeds sells only clean varieties , also check out seedsavers exchange and seeds from Italy, or buy from a farmer who gets their seed from a clean source 🙂 you can get non-GM squash from any of these places 🙂
This is extremely worrisome to me.
What can we do to force them to label this stuff? Who do we contact?
Every time I hear the name Monsanto, I automatically think Satan, and I’m not joking. I am terrified of them!
Allowing no labeling or permitting the retailer to “choose” whether or not to label (what a joke) is the USDA and FDA’s doing (of course).
These fascist government agencies have repeatedly ignored the will of the people on this issue and their power only continues to grow by the day. Contacting your representatives would be the only way to make an impact it seems.
luckily, i am corn intolerant.
but my family loves it.
any ideas of buying non-gmo corn?
It seems buying only organic corn is the way to ensure a nonGMO product anymore.
buy direct from a farmer and know your varieties. GM sweet corn has actually been grown by several farmers here in ohio for 2 years now, one of the ways they promote it is that the raccoons won’t eat it. Hmmm……. :-/ Tell me again why I should? Anyway, the one that’s out is called Attribute, so ask what variety you are buying. I’m sure there are more in the works. there is another only available to commercial growers that is X and a number, can’t remember the exact name. you also want to keep an eye out for squash. They won’t publicize it, but Monsanto has had GM squash on the market for over 10 years.Again, know your varieties. I was told by a Monsanto seed salesman that anything with a roman numeral behind the name was GM (ie. Justice II, Judgment III, Independence II). There is also an acorn squash called XP something. Know your farmers!!