GMO ingredients in Co-op Prepared Food

[Shauna Lynn]

This is my submission to the New Beet:
Title: GMO ingredients in Co-op Prepared Food

To our GM, John Williams (and FCC Board),

Are there direct GMO ingredients being used in Prepared Foods (besides the curry paste / soup at McCuskers from Kettle Cuisine, powdered sugar perhaps)?

I realize that all, or most, of the meat, dairy and sometimes eggs are from animals fed GMOs, but this is not what we are talking about. Other co-ops such as River Valley have stated that they cannot eliminate these GMO-fed animal product ingredients but WILL PROHIBIT known GMO ingredients, such as corn, sugar, canola and soy ingredients that are not organic from their kitchen.

As far as I know you are keeping these GMOs out of prepared food already, aren’t you?

Why do you say it is financially unfeasible or restrictive to do what you already are doing? Is it worth risking the community’s health to let staff use some GMOs here and there if they want to, so they won’t feel too restricted?

If our Member-Owners were asked directly if they prefer PFD (Prepared Foods Department) to be GMO-free, or if they NEED the GMO curry paste, the GMO powdered sugar (or is it 100% cane powdered sugar?) and soup with conventional CORN OIL at McCuskers, I am almost sure they would prefer that PFD just eliminate those dishes that REQUIRE GMOs (if this is even accurate), and serve the other 95%+ of dishes that already are free of conventional sugar, corn, soy and canola (as our signs and website indicate in the “Product Selection Guidelines” statement).

Can shoppers at the least be made aware, with say a posted list, of GMO ingredients that ARE being used?

We have a right to know what we’re eating. Part of our Ends is educating – We can help people be aware, and not unknowingly be eating GMOs, when they are not expecting GMOs to be served at the healthy food co-op. Our product guideline signs make people feel safe that there are not GMOs present in prepared food. We should not be misleading people who are counting on us to serve healthy food.

I think if you were labeling things in PFD as GMO-Free it would be very helpful, and from what I understand, from the stated guidelines, almost everything from PFD would be GMO-free, correct?

I wish our co-op had a priority to be a leader (like we are in Produce Dept) in standing up to Monsanto, standing up for healthy food, healthy people (including farm workers), healthy pollinators, soil, ground water, air and whole eco-systems – this pollution of nature and ourselves so that chemical companies can prosper is unconscionable and has to end, and health food co-ops should be on the front lines of these efforts. We should refuse to add our support to warfare chemical companies and factory farms that are causing harm- we should refuse to purchase GMO ingredients for our own co-op kitchen.

We own it. We care about these things. What is more important than the health of our bodies, our children and the health of our planet? These should be our top priorities – we should take a stand and not serve carcinogenic food that can cause infertility, endocrine disruption, fatty liver disease, damage to our gut microbes and DNA, etc. It’s not in alignment with our Ends.

PLEASE reconsider banning known GMOs from PFD. Short of that, at least give people a way to clearly know if there is an exception to the no-GMO norm in our prepared foods at the co-op.

Thank you,
Shauna Lynn
Shelburne Falls
FCC member since 1999

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