The other day I was feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and defeated about the whole GMO thing. There is SO MUCH evidence that GMOs, and the chemicals that are used in concert with them (like Roundup) are destroying our health and planet. And yet the infiltration and power and pockets of the chemical companies seem to know no bounds. The tricks being used to pervert the Farm Bill and sneak the new “technology” into people’s lives unaware are far beyond what would be considered ethical. But who has the time, attention span, and money to fight back? Some of us have day jobs. And all the petitions we sign seem to go into a black hole in a big White House. (Obama, have you checked the attic lately?) Hundreds of thousands of people have signed petitions and answered surveys that they want GMOs at least labeled and out of our food system. Why aren’t you listening, Mr. President?!
But then it occurred to me. We have the solution! We have the power! YOU have the answer in your HANDS RIGHT NOW! Forget Washington (well, let’s not forget it, but isn’t Washington always the LAST to change?) Ultimately, there is only one way to ensure that there are no GMOs in your food, and that is to buy, grow, and eat only organic food.
Buy eat and grow ONLY certified-organic food. It’s that simple. Certified-organic foods are the ONLY products you can buy that ensure you are not buying, eating, or supporting the GMO mafia. Eating certified-organic food is the only way you can ensure that you are not poisoning your children, poisoning yourself, and poisoning our environment. Isn’t that worth a few extra bucks in the supermarket? SERIOUSLY??!!! Yes, it’s worth it. Consider it your own lobbying budget. You are voting with your dollars, and the capitalist free market must respond to that. That’s why Wonder Bread and Twinkies bit the dust—not because of any government regulation, but because people wised up and stopped buying them.
I know you have questions. Why is organic so much more expensive? (Because the government penalizes organic farmers and artificially subsidizes chemical farmers.) How can you be sure it’s really organic? (Because organic food is the only food that is independently inspected every year to keep its certification—unlike that chemical fertilizer plant that exploded in Texas, which hadn’t been inspected since 1985. 1985!!!!!!!!!). Isn’t local food better than organic? (Only if it’s organic local food, because why would you want to support food that has contaminated your local community? And everything is local to someone somewhere!)
What’s the opposite of a boycott? A quick google search landed me on the term “carrotmob” (a campaign that supports a business in order to create positive change)—that’s perfect! Let’s carrotmob organic food! This is an act of individualized political activism that will do more to change the world (and your personal health) for the better than any march, any vote, any gala dinner event, any charity run, or any other thing will do to solve this issue once and for all.
Remember, only YOU can stop GMOs dead in their tracks. What are you waiting for?
I’m with you on the GMO boycott and buying organic, but just have to say that buying local, non-certified organic is a great idea too because many small and “micro”-farmers can’t afford organic certification. Ask your farmer how he grows the produce. Ask your butcher where her pigs and chickens come from and how they are raised. Better yet, ask your grocer these questions and keep asking until you get a specific answer. When grocers learn that customers are concerned about these issues, they react and they have WAY more capitalistic clout than individual customers. Don’t just look for labels – ask around.
Paula is right. Our friendly farmers market people are happy to tell you about their gardens. And they probably will be quite straightforward since we are some of their neighbors.
Safe food is important to my family’s health.
The beauty of the Law of Supply & Demand is that when demand goes up prices will fall.
Organic Certified food may be more expensive now, but if that is all the public demands, then supply will go up and prices will come down.
🙂
Certified organic is not the only organic and the expensive certification process drives up the price.
I definitely agree with the other commenters that supporting the local farmers who do not use chemicals is ideal, but I also buy a ton of certified organic at the grocery store b/c it is so convenient. Absolutely we need to be voting with our pocketbooks. Thanks for this encouragement, Maria!
During the summer I buy most of my produce from two vendors: one is certified organic and the other uses organic growing practices but is not certified. I highly recommend buying local organics as much as possible. It not only supports your local economy, but that local produce was not shipped all the way from Guatemala, Mexico, California, Canada or even Israel, Egypt and China (huge importers of organic into the US usually packaged in the US or Canada). During the cold months I bought mostly organic from my local food co-op (everyone should join a food co-op), chain grocery store, and even warehouse store (only what I couldn’t get in other places or when the cost showed a huge difference). I also praise stores that do not normally carry a lot of organics whenever I see them bring in organics. Finally, I have more than doubled my garden size this year. I will be growing as much of my own food as I can and saving seeds (heirlooms). Thanks for this post. This is a very important issue.
Yes, I agree this is a very important issue. I try to buy Organic food, have a garden using only organic seed. This is fine in the summer months, but come winter I am exhausted trying to find organic food without traveling 2 hours. Our grocer is buying some organics but not enough. It is so frustrating!
Since 2008 I have been eating organic food without GMO’s and have felt better, lost weight and more energy. But it’s good to do your reseach. There are watchdog groups out there who do the background work to make sure organic food is actually organic. Not all are, i.e. Safeway’s O organic is not 100% organic, I shop at Natural Grocers (used to be called Vitamin Cottage) and trust most all the brands they carry. However, now I won’t even buy the organic brands who paid huge amounts of money to defeat California’s vote to get GMO’s labeled. If an organic brand will pay to defeat GMO labeling, you know they are not interested in our health, only their own ‘bottom-line.’ Maria is correct, the best way to defeat & stop Monsanto is to not buy ANY of their products, ever. Thank you, Maria. Let’s hope the word gets around.
Ditto what everyone is saying above.
I live in NYC and buy certified organic because I don’t live even remotely close to a farm. I do participate in a CSA over the summer that provides organic produce.
That said, when I visit home (MD) I buy items from a local farm and while they are not certified they don’t use any chemicals on their products and I can see the animals they are raising.
An inspirational post for sure. I am a advocate of buying local and so I definitely agree with Paula about supporting those farmer’s that can’t afford certification but practice organic growing methods. What I can’t get local, I need to be stronger about sticking to only organic. Thanks for the motivation!
Amen and amen! This will help, but there are so many folks who are just not aware of the issues. How do we get them on board?
I know which of my local farmers are gardening organically even without the expensive certification because they care. I support them with my dollars and my heart. I will now promote a carrotmob to support them. I love that term!
Over the last two years I have tried diligently to buy only organic for my family household in order to avoid GMOs. It is so important that for our small vegetable farm, we recently applied and received organic certification. The price of being certified will be 3% of my revenue this year, not a huge amount. The organic farmer has already paid 30% more to start seedlings from organic seed and paid for labor to weed. Why not go that extra mile and do the paperwork to gain certification? This handshake “organic” is not preventing GMOs . Ask your farmer what percentage of their seed is certified organic or purchased from seed companies that have taken the safe seed pledge. I believe the documentation and paperwork, not the fee to be certified is what prevents many small farms from certifying.
Great post and so absolutely true. I just blogged about the French study regarding GMOs and tumors using the picture of that poor grotesque rat hoping it would alarm someone. I feel your frustration. I give workshops on affording the organic life to try to dispel some of the worries and teach people to make their own food, but it does seem like an uphill battle many days. BTW, I picked your book Organic Manifesto for my blog’s first book club pick! Our local paper picked up my post, so hopefully even more people than my readers will find the book! Thanks for all you do. You give me hope.
Touche Maria, as always.
in the long run, GMOs will contaminate everything, so “organic” will eventually disappear, right?
The only problem is that in the US, there are 50-60 million people on some form of assistance who can’t even afford the GMO produce, let alone the organic stuff, and that’s an awful lot of people who can’t vote with their dollars. That’s how the system is set up. Power is specifically kept out of their hands.
I agree with Paula. At our farmers market I have developed relationships with the organic farmers, and even if they are not certified (it can be an arduous task for a farmer), if I know them and trust their seed, planting and growing I will buy their food.
Steve is right. Any food is expensive enough and some people only have a Walmart within driving distance of their homes. Also, now with companies like Muir Glen and Kasha incorporating GMOs into their products, it’s becoming harder and harder to tell the good guys from the bad.
Another real way would be to put a stop your publications advertising GMO foods! A 5 second investigation reveals Post’s Grape-Nuts as a sponsor of the Runner’s World website.
I’m all for your other suggestions but you’re lucky enough to be in position where you could have an immediate impact on the propagation of the GMO mafia.
I am a small farmer raising sheep and lamb for local consumption , first I have 24 lambs available annually, so im REALLY small, I would love to be able to feed my girls all organic feed, BUT there is noone closer than 2 hours away who carries it , 2 months of sheep food would cost me 700$, I do buy local and as un sprayed on as possible hay , the hay is not gmo , but 2x per season it is sprayed with hog waste , for fertilizer, but those hogs are kept in hog houses, which are NOT fed organic feed .. therefore my hay cannot be classified as organic.. I use 1 600lb bale of grass hay per week. from my farmer that hay is 35$ a bale, organic , same hay 85$ a bale , and I would have to go 300 miles to get it certified organic. I do purchase organic milk , and foods for my family, but we eat our meat raised humanely here on our small farm . I try to buy grains for them that are not gmo , but again , cannot GET certified organic feeds that I can afford. if I fed my lambs all organic diets, I would have to sell them for 500.00 each for consumption ! as it is now , I have to sell them for 150.00 to people eating local . your suggestions send someone like me out of business. its great as a small business and farmer , for everyone to tell me what to do , but its different when the logistics, and financial attainability do not mesh and make it almost impossible for a person to do with any level of practicality. yup, I could probably get a truck load of hay , organicly grown delivered , for a few thousand dollars.. feeding my sheep for maybe 6 months, they eat 3 square bales a day …nah actually I would go out of business.. so then .. rather than a local option TRYING to feed as clean as possible. you have NO option, and thats what would happen to ALOT more people than just me.
I agree, have purchased and growing all organic gmo free products for sometime now. I’m also concerned about the gmo’s
taking over farmers crops not to mention the chem-trail spraying that will contaminate our gardens and environment. This is a worldwide very deep rooted and evil issue.
It is a lot more than a few dollars. I suppose the middle class can afford to buy organic.
Great article. I have a small farm, and although I’m not certified I adhere to the organic standards religiously. I started my little farm in order to get away from all the chemicals and crap that the MegaCorps and the government say are “safe”. I have a loyal following at my farmer’s market because they know I refuse to do anything even remotely questionable. For example, last year was a horrible year for stink bugs here in the NE. I stood by and watched my entire organic heirloom brandywine tomato crop crawl with disgusting little vermin. I could have nuked the little buggers with some nasty chemicals and my problem would have been over in a matter of hours, but there’s no way I’d even consider doing that. Instead, I painstakingly misted each and every tomato with water and dusted them with diatomaceous earth, sometimes twice a day. I managed to save a handful of tomatoes from 25 plants. Every one of my plants is hand planted, hand tended, and hand harvested. I could look at a huge pile of beans I picked and tell you which plant a particular bean came from. I love my plants, I love my food, I love my farm. I also love my health, and I know my customers do too, and that’s why I do what I do. I know there are others out there who feel the same, and it’s such a shame that we’re overshadowed by evil, money-grubbing jerks who care for nothing but their precious bottom line. What’s worse is that the government not only does nothing to defend us, but they actually finance and support the bad guys.
First off, Maria, I love your Page on the last page. It is the first page I read when I open Organic Gardening magazine. It is always refreshing. I am in total agreement with you on this. I am so tired of trying to fight something larger than life. I want to spend more time growing and nurturing my garden. I always tell people the same thing. If it’s not certified organic, it probably has GMO’s. Another tidbit about the expense of buying organic, we as Americans are so used to eating large portions, that if we cut back we are not only cutting calories but we are getting better nutrition per serving and don’t have to eat huge helpings. The more TV is watched, the more brainwashed people become. These ugly giants have also taken over the media, so I really have stopped fighting and go for the organic wherever possible. Just try to change those around you and maybe it will catch on. To Your Health!!!
Believe it or not, even Walmart is paying attention. Today I bought certified free-range, vegetarian-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free chicken. We ate it for dinner. How do I know I got the real thing? My grandparents (both sides) were farmers and I remember what healthy chicken tasted like when I was young. This was dark meat and it was sweet, not strong and nasty. Maria and everyone, keep up the good work!
I know an organic farmer. He told me that the USDA’s book of acceptable pesticides (for USDA certified organic) is about 4″ thick. I think the only way to be sure of what you’re eating, is to grow your own.
We are focusing too much on the farmer. It will take a collective effort to get rid of GMO. We all need to garden, harvest seed and build root cellars. Monsanto is currently buying organic seed companies. Then what will happen? We have been raised on the idea of whoever owns the most bombs and has the largest fighting force will rule the world. It will be with food. GMO practices are depleting soils, killing bees and killing us. A great famine is coming. We need to learn to take care of ourselves all over again like the settlers did. March 25th is March Against Monsanto. Get out and raise awareness and get gardening! Grow Food, Not Lawns!!!
Along with Rob’s theme, what about the recent article about how antibiotics were being sprayed on organic apples and pears and was approved by the NOSB. How is certified better?
Thank you for your information, I am looking into growing my own organic garden but how do you find organic soil and organic plants to get going? I want to start small in a 4 x 6 container. I live in Memphis, TN and it is so hard to find quality products you can trust. Is there a website or something that might be able to help me? I have a 1 year old granddaughter and we are trying to be as organic as possible with her food. Thanks!
Steve Randen says:
May 8, 2013 at 11:31 am
“The only problem is that in the US, there are 50-60 million people on some form of assistance who can’t even afford the GMO produce, let alone the organic stuff, and that’s an awful lot of people who can’t vote with their dollars. That’s how the system is set up. Power is specifically kept out of their hands.”
I cheered (ruefully) when reading Steve Randen’s comment. I’ve been trying to inform people, including many vegans like myself, that it’s not easy for tens of millions of Americans to buy whole foods, GMO or not, much less switch to a vegan life. Unfortunately, we don’t like to get too close to words like “poor,” “poverty,” or “hungry.” Yes, the government’s set up to disenfranchise these Americans, but they’re being ignored by their fellow Americans, too.
Maria, I greatly appreciate your delving into food and environment safety, as I find it hard to gather this sort of information on my own.
I fear that once we all follow your advice to buy certified organic that the GMO minions will get their hands on the certification process too, and redefine “organic.” Heck they probably read your articles and are already at work on their next offense.
edie, try Sow True Seeds out of Ashville, NC
Thank you Kim! I will check that out!
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