GE sweet corn on its way
From Food & Water Watch:
Genetically engineered Monsanto sweet corn is approved and could be on your plate next year. Genetically engineered sweet corn, the first Monsanto crop designed to be consumed by people, is genetically engineered to produce pesticides and resist herbicides. Sign the petition to make sure your grocery store doesn't sell you genetically engineered sweet corn.
Why should you be concerned about Monsanto's Genetically Engineered (GE) Sweet Corn?
1) This is the first GE Crop Monsanto that is marketing for direct human consumption.
2) It will not be labeled.
3) It hasn't been tested for human safety.
Monsanto's sweet corn variety flew through the approval process, because it combines two genetically engineered traits that were approved in 2005 and 2008. The USDA does no independent testing of GE crops, and the "stacked" combination of these traits for herbicide resistance, and pesticide production has never been through a safety evaluation of any kind.
These traits have never been engineered into a food that will be consumed directly by people. Most of the GE corn that is currently grown is eaten by animals or processed into corn syrup, corn oil and other corn ingredients that show up in processed food. Monsanto's aiming to have their new GE Sweet Corn grown on 250,000 acres next year (roughly 40% of the sweet corn market). Take action now to make sure this corn isn't sold at your local grocery store.
As you already know, genetically engineered crops are not required to be labeled. We have no way of knowing if a food has been genetically engineered or contains GE ingredients. We believe labeling should be required so that people can choose whether or not they want to eat GE foods. Unfortunately GE sweet corn, will not be labeled, and doesn't look any different from regular sweet corn.
Help make sure GE Sweet Corn is not sold by signing our petition to grocery stores. We'll be delivering this petition to the top ten grocery store chains in the country in an attempt to stop GE Sweet Corn from reaching your plate.
Sign the petition to grocery stores today:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8405
Thanks for taking action,
Sarah Alexander
Education & Outreach Director
Food & Water Watch
salexander(at)fwwatch(dot)org