I wrote General Mills asking if they use GMOs... here is their response

I was looking around on the "Green Giant" website to see if they had any mention of GMOs being used, or not being used, in their products. They have a section speaking to how dedicated they are to sustainability, and so I had a glimmer of hope. I normally buy all organic food, but I like to check various corporate websites to see if any of them are GMO free. I always assume a food product contains GMOs unless it specifically says that it does not. Anyway, here is the response to the question...

"Do you use genetically modified ingredients/GMOs in any of your products?

Dear Mr. ########:

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding General Mills′ position on the use of ingredients that have been modified through biotechnology. First and foremost, all food must be safe. It is not only the law, but also an issue of ultimate importance to all food manufacturers. Second, the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency have all concluded that food using ingredients from biotechnologically-improved crops is completely safe and no different in any meaningful way from other food. For that reason, the FDA does not require special labeling for it. However, if food has been significantly altered in composition or nutrient content, or if biotechnology introduces allergens into food, special labeling is required. None of our products requires special labeling. Accordingly, we do not test them for the presence of this material. Because of the growing use of biotechnology by farmers and the way that grain gets commingled in storage and shipment, it′s certainly possible that some of our products may contain ingredients that have been improved through biotechnology. We can assure you, though, that every major regulatory agency, as well as independent scientific groups like the American Medical Association, has concluded that these ingredients are safe. For more information, you may wish to visit The Alliance for Better Foods website at www.betterfoods.org. General Mills also believes in providing consumers with a variety of food options. Toward that end, we do offer organic products that, by definition, do not use ingredients that have been improved through biotechnology. Please look for organic Gold Medal flour and a wide range of products from our Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen brands. To get more information about our organic products, please visit us at www.smallplanetfoods.com. Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely, Norma Stone

Of course, this is the response that I was expecting. Well, to be honest, I wasn't expecting a response at all, but if I were to get one this would be it. Same old corporate propaganda.

edit* I also noticed how she intentionally uses the word "improved" when talking about GMO crops, as if the way nature made them wasn't good enough.

they wrote a long letter when all they needed to say is "YES, we put poison in foods and the FDA signs off on it"

With her name droppings like FDA, AMA, EPA, etc she must not have counted on this letter showing up here. Some of the absolute least trusted organizations on the planet. I noticed the "improved" comment also. Who knows, she might actually believe what she has written here. How cute!

Originally posted by camaro68ss
they wrote a long letter when all they needed to say is "YES, we put poison in foods and the FDA signs off on it"

It's as if they are trying to convince me that everything is OK, and she wants to cure me of my ignorance.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


I also noticed how she doesn't come right out and say that they use GMOs... instead she says that there may be a chance due to commingling. So in other words, they don't intentionally use GMOs, but farmers do and there is a chance that some got mixed in.

I wrote to Kellogg a couple years back, inquiring the exact same thing. here's the response I got:

Thank you for contacting us regarding our ingredients. As a consumer you can be assured that we would never do anything to compromise the trust you have placed in us to provide healthy, nutritious, and safe food.

Like most other food makers in the nation, we buy the ingredients for our foods on the open market and do not buy seeds to grow product.

We are committed to protecting and promoting consumer confidence in our products, as was our founder, W. K. Kellogg. He had his name placed on every product as his personal assurance of quality. We would never do anything to compromise this 100-year legacy of consumer trust and loyalty.

We appreciate you giving us an opportunity to respond.

Sincerely,

Idalia Acosta Consumer Affairs Department

I wrote back, and said:

Thanks you For your response! I would like to inquire a bit further on the matter.

As you do not buy seeds but purchase your food on the open market, I would love to know if any of the food that you use is made from Monsanto seeds, or from companies that use any Monsanto products.

Thank you in advance for your response

I got this response:

Thank you for contacting us for information. We appreciate your interest in our company and are glad you took the time to contact us.

The information you requested is confidential and proprietary. Therefore, we cannot provide a specific response to your inquiry and trust that you can understand our position on this.

Thank you for your interest, and for your continued patronage of our brands.

Sincerely,
Idalia Acosta
Consumer Affairs Department

At this point, I felt a bit insulted, so I wrote back:

Considering that Kellogg owns both Morningstar Farms and Garden Burger, I find it highly disturbing that you don't consider it a customer's right to know whether you use genetically modified organisms in your products.

I will consider your lack of response a confirmation that you do use these products, and will discontinue my use of any Kellogg brand label unless I hear otherwise.

Furthermore, I will be spreading the word to as many people as I can that you are using these products.
Thank you,

I received no reply.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime

You dopey, ignorant, conspiracy theory believing consumer, of-course Frankenstein, I mean GMO foods, are good for you!

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

...We would never do anything to compromise this 100-year legacy of consumer trust and loyalty.

Yeah, by for instance telling their customers the truth....

lots more propaganda on the site suggested by the letter in the op ...

www.betterfoods.org...

reply to post by captaintyinknots


That's awesome!

A few months back I wrote to Quaker Oats to find out if my beloved oatmeal was made with GMOs. I basically got the same letter that others here got, but Quaker Oats went just a little bit further to assure me that their product was ok by telling me that "food has been genetically modified since the dawn of time." To Quaker Oats that makes everything ok.

I'm now buying as much organic as possible. I found neighbors who will sell me their surplus eggs, others who will sell me their surplus produce all organic. If we stop buying the products that contain GMOs there will be no demand for them. If something is not yeilding a profit a company will pull it from the stores. This may be our only recourse to getting this stuff off the shelves.

We will pay a bit more, but our health is worth it, especially if we can finally get it across to the manufactureres that we will not buy the crap. Obviously our government doesn't care if we are eating this poison so now it's up to us, Don't buy it! Do a search online for companies that don't use GMOs and support them by buying their products. I was amazed at just how many companies out there do not use GMOs.

Originally posted by 2manyholes
A few months back I wrote to Quaker Oats to find out if my beloved oatmeal was made with GMOs. I basically got the same letter that others here got, but Quaker Oats went just a little bit further to assure me that their product was ok by telling me that "food has been genetically modified since the dawn of time." To Quaker Oats that makes everything ok.

I'm now buying as much organic as possible. I found neighbors who will sell me their surplus eggs, others who will sell me their surplus produce all organic. If we stop buying the products that contain GMOs there will be no demand for them. If something is not yeilding a profit a company will pull it from the stores. This may be our only recourse to getting this stuff off the shelves.

We will pay a bit more, but our health is worth it, especially if we can finally get it across to the manufactureres that we will not buy the crap. Obviously our government doesn't care if we are eating this poison so now it's up to us, Don't buy it! Do a search online for companies that don't use GMOs and support them by buying their products. I was amazed at just how many companies out there do not use GMOs.

You make some great points, but I fear that there will always be a demand for products containing GMOs because they are cheaper and poor people can't afford organic food. The one thing that I will mention is that with the cost of food going up like it is, the price difference between conventional food and organic food is not very much any more. I know several people that have started buying organic because of this very reason. Here in Virginia Beach, they just opened a Whole Foods literally right in front of an existing Kroger, and the Whole Foods parking lot is always full, and Kroger, well, not so much. There is a Trader Joe's right across the street from there too, and Trader Joe's is super cheap... I would argue that they are cheaper than buying food at Wal-Mart. Main stream grocery stores are going to have no choice but to offer organic choices or go out of business. Here in VA, we have Harris Teeter grocery stores and they have a massive organic selection along with their regular grocery choices, so they obviously have foreseen this shift in consumer behavior and made a very smart business decision.

Just damn....

Believe it or not ats, until just a couple of years ago I never knew of or what exactly monsanto or gmo foods were.

When I commented right after joining about this, one member replied to me " WOW!!! I forgot what it was like to have a virgin mind"

It couldnt have been more true then, and thank my lucky stars, I found this place. Or my ignorance might have taken longer to cure.

I had been seeking the truth for years, but only really woke up after what I saw in the military, it opened my eyes, and then lurking ats opened my mind.

I really dont believe that making a couple of extra bucks a bushel in yield to pay most out to monsanto for next years crop, is worth the risks. If only we could get some legislation to force companies to show if they are using them.........oh ya

Originally posted by inverslyproportional
Just damn....

Believe it or not ats, until just a couple of years ago I never knew of or what exactly monsanto or gmo foods were.

When I commented right after joining about this, one member replied to me " WOW!!! I forgot what it was like to have a virgin mind"

It couldnt have been more true then, and thank my lucky stars, I found this place. Or my ignorance might have taken longer to cure.

I had been seeking the truth for years, but only really woke up after what I saw in the military, it opened my eyes, and then lurking ats opened my mind.


I really dont believe that making a couple of extra bucks a bushel in yield to pay most out to monsanto for next years crop, is worth the risks. If only we could get some legislation to force companies to show if they are using them.........oh ya

I'm right there with you. About a year ago I woke up to reality and started researching GMOs and organic food. Before that I thought organic food was a joke that only tree hugging Hippies fell for... I look back on how ignorant I was and laugh at myself.

Originally posted by captaintyinknots


At this point, I felt a bit insulted, so I wrote back:

Considering that Kellogg owns both Morningstar Farms and Garden Burger, I find it highly disturbing that you don't consider it a customer's right to know whether you use genetically modified organisms in your products.

I will consider your lack of response a confirmation that you do use these products, and will discontinue my use of any Kellogg brand label unless I hear otherwise.

Furthermore, I will be spreading the word to as many people as I can that you are using these products.
Thank you,

I received no reply.

A very valid question, that they really should clarify. I've avoided Morning Star and Boca Burgers just because of there use of GMO soy. I find that many people are not aware that claimed natural foods- specifically by major brand corps, especially Vegetarian and Vegan are not what they seem.

The past shows that that Kraft allows GMOs to leak into their Morning Star brand.

2001
50 percent claimed slip up of GMO

2012

contributed $632,500 to keep you from knowing their foods contain GMO’s
blog posting

Other companies listed, such as Morningstar Farms, openly admit on their website that GMOs are used, writing: "At this time, all of our other products contain biotech ingredients
source

Boca Burgers, which is Kraft Foods, contains GMOs, which Kraft admitted. They decided on box colors to which will let you know if they are GMO soy or not: green means no GMO. These green boxes are often not at grocery stores.

I found a rule of thumb if the company does not have GMO they will have the guts to share that they do not. Morning Star lists no such thing. Compare to Tofurkey- Turtle Island Fods, which specifically lists Non GMO.
Also, look at the parent company. Chances are if it's a major food brand, Kraft( Philip Morris), Kellogg, it's in bed with Monsanto.

In Europe, Kellogg (and others) have dropped GMOs while simultaneously continuing their usage within the United States.
source

How interesting.

Originally posted by OptimusSubprime
reply to post by OptimusSubprime

 

I also noticed how she doesn't come right out and say that they use GMOs... instead she says that there may be a chance due to commingling. So in other words, they don't intentionally use GMOs, but farmers do and there is a chance that some got mixed in.

Haha, its called beating around the bush.
May or may not contain nuts.

I don't have a Whole Foods near me. Is it possible to shop healthy at a Kroger? I know I can't get an Apple from Kroger that doesn't taste mealy and old. Any advice?

Originally posted by Metallicus
I don't have a Whole Foods near me. Is it possible to shop healthy at a Kroger? I know I can't get an Apple from Kroger that doesn't taste mealy and old. Any advice?

I went to a Kroger in Georgia last summer and it had an entire organic section with a lot of products. The Kroger here has no such thing, so I have no idea. Try local farmers markets and while there ask around about organic stores in your area.

reply to post by OptimusSubprime


Good for you for stepping up to the plate!

If WE ALL put aside the time to this , it would make a difference.

After all, they are eating that food as well.

Maybe it would beneficial for them to consider The Long Run effects.

They keep their opinions tight because it is their jobs.

But their kids are eating their Korn Flakes Every Morning! S A V V Y ?

S&F To Your Respectable Efforts, and Thank You!

reply to post by captaintyinknots


Maxim at law: He who does not deny, admits.

This principle holds in court, and is applied frequently.