Companies That are Against GMOs

As the war over genetically engineered foods rages on, there is a steadily growing number of companies that are publicly decrying their use.

Genetically engineered foods, as you should well know by now, are animals or plants that have been genetically altered with DNA from viruses, bacteria, or other animals and plants in a way that could never happen organically or with the aid of natural cross-breeding.

Ingredients that are made from these bioengineered foods have been a component of our food supply for more than two decades. The primary stance GMO defenders take in a debate is that the used of bioengineered crops will offer a greater crop yield, drought tolerance, increased nutritional benefits, and other advantages for the consumer. There is also, however, a strong case against genetically engineered foods after numerous scientific studies have documented that they cause health issues, environmental destruction and violate the rights of both farmers and consumers.

As modern shoppers are becoming much more health conscious and informed regarding the foods that they are buying and eating, and exactly what its true origins are, they are also becoming more demanding when it comes to knowing whether or not the food that they eat contains any genetically engineered ingredients.

This increased consumer demand for knowledge has led to both state and national campaigns. In America, approximately 37 states are recommending that all food labels clearly state whether or not the item contains bioengineered ingredients of any kind. These “right to know” initiatives are, of course, battling opposition from major multi-billion dollar corporations such as Bayer (formerly Monsanto), DuPont,  and several others that manufacture these genetically modified seeds for the purpose of large-scale, industrial crop farming. Several other countries have already put like-minded labeling laws into place for their citizens.

Most likely, you have already seen at least a few smaller specialized food companies and smaller organic food companies make it known that they do not use any bioengineered foods of any kind in their products. Amy’s Kitchen (canned soups, chili, beans, pasta sauce, salsas and frozen meals), Nature’s Path (breakfast cereals, granolas, hot oatmeal, waffles, toaster pastries, pancake mix, and granola / snack bars), and Yogi Tea (independently-owned maker of organic tea) all serve as examples, but it really makes a striking impact when a large well-known company makes the switch to producing their food without the use of bioengineered ingredients. This is in part due to the fact that procuring real food products that are not produced with any genetically modified ingredients is easier said than done.

Some of the companies that have pledged their commitment to not using GMOs in their manufacturing process are:

Boulder Brands

Boulder Brands became instantly newsworthy when the company stated that it would be eliminating all GMOs from its popular Smart Balance buttery spread. From the start of the new marketing campaign to the completion of a full retail change-over, the Boulder Brands company completed this giant undertaking in less than a year, keeping its consumers healthy and happy.

Boulder Brands states that it experienced an “extensive revamp of ingredients sourcing and manufacturing processes” in an effort to eliminate GMOs. Customers of the Denver-based food company also did not have to tolerate higher prices as a consequence of this change-over.

Smart Balance also sells popcorn, peanut butter, mayonnaise, milk, cooking oils, and cooking sprays among other things. The Smart Balance Natural Peanut Butter was one product that was already made using entirely non-bioengineered ingredients. The forward-thinking company has expectations of ultimately converting the whole of its Smart Balance product line to GMO-free..

Chipotle

A few years ago, Chipotle Mexican Grill became the very first restaurant chain in the United States to willingly disclose the presence of GMOs in some of its foods. The restaurant chain declared its intentions of eliminating all bioengineered foods from their ingredients at every single one of their 1,550 locations.

Chipotle Mexican Grill managed to be completely GMO-free by the end of 2014. The popular eatery even went to such lengths as creating a satirical comedy series that premiered on Hulu in February of 2014 called Farmed and Dangerous. The series was intended to incite a conversation centered around the “world of industrial agriculture in America.”

The show, which does not display any Chipotle-specific branding, “satirizes the lengths to which corporate agribusiness and its image-makers go to create a positive image of industrial agriculture.”

“Farmed and Dangerous” was created immediately following two animated shorts, also from Chipotle, “Scarecrow” which came out in 2013 and “Back to the Start” which premiered in 2011. Both of these shorts were very successful in that they served to encourage more conversations concerning modern agricultural practices and industrial methods of food production by presenting them in amusing ways.

Annie’s

The 100% natural and organic food company known as Annie’s has enjoyed the rapidly growing success that it has seen from marketing its food products, that used to be available in specialty shops only, to more than 25,000 retail stores and expanding its product line to offer 125 uniquely different organic products.

The all-natural company only purchases non-GMO ingredients for their food manufacturing process and has been exceptionally outspoken in the battle for the mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered foods. According to Annie’s website, the company stood behind California’s Prop 37, which was a 2012 action to require the labeling of all food products that are made from genetically modified ingredients.

Whole Foods

In March of 2013, the widely popular Whole Foods Market vowed that by 2018 all of the goods sold in its stores across Canada and the United States, which comprise the bulk of its 373 total stores, will be appropriately labeled. The labels will, of course, indicate whether or not the food item contains any genetically engineered organisms. The undertaking was no doubt a gigantic one when you consider the scope of the work that had to be done, from negotiating with their suppliers (all in all over 100,000) to deciding how they could best comply with necessary federal labeling requirements on restricted items such as alcohol.

Today, Whole Foods is announcing that not only has it figured out the majority of the logistics of how to regulate and track GMO transparency by utilizing only certified organic foods or foods that have been confirmed by the Non-GMO Project, but that at present it markets “more than 6,000 products represented by more than 500 brands that are sourced non-GMO.”

If you or someone that you love is suffering from health problems that you believe to be related to Monsanto ’s genetically modified foods, or to the glyphosate herbicide that is also in your food supply then you need to get in touch with one of our experienced Roundup attorneys here at the Brady Law Group. If you would like to receive a free consultation with a professional, please give us a call at (866) 211-2562 as soon as possible so that we can help you assess any claims that you feel you may have.