Anti-GMO Activists Target Smucker’s & Reveal Hypocrisy

Here we go again…

GMO Inside, Green America, and their counterparts have decided to target Smucker’s for using genetically engineered products in their spreads and peanut butters. The campaign called “Make PB&J Great Again!” asks activists to contact the company and demand that they stop sourcing GMO ingredients for their products and use a third-party verifier to ensure all ingredients are non-GMO. The groups also want Smucker’s to transition to using all organic ingredients.

In a statement supporting the campaign,  Michael Stein, Food Campaign Manager at Green America, said:

Smucker’s should be clearly labeling products that contain GMOs to provide the transparency demanded by American consumers. As Americans increasingly seek out organic and non-GMO products, Smucker’s must transition away from GMOs and increase organic offerings.  Smucker’s can’t afford to alienate more than half of its customers.

This is obviously a red herring because the federal government has now passed mandatory GMO labeling and Smucker’s will have to label any genetically modified ingredients included in its products. Also, let’s not forget that organic produce is less than 4% of the food supply. So, while it may be growing, it’s hardly dominating the marketplace.

Of course, the main genetically modified ingredient found in Smucker’s products are sweeteners, both sugar and those derived from corn. Anti-GMO activists had been targeting candy companies, such as Hershey’s, to stop sourcing GMO sugar for their products. In fact, the goal is to “cripple” farms that grow genetically modified crops, parcitularly sugar – even if it means putting family farms out of business.

Obviously, these activists do not realize that sugar dervied from a GMO plant cannot be distinguished from sugar dervied from non-GMO plants, even in a laboratory!

Sweeteners and other products that rely heavily on GMO corn have also been a target. Back in January of 2015, I revealed that the National Organic Action Plan had a goal of reducing or eliminating consumer demands for dairy products from cows consuming GMO feed because it would increase demand for non-GMO feed (and thus, corn). High fructose corn syrup, which is digested exactly the same as other sweeteners, has long been the target and scapegoat for all sorts of ills. Reducing or eliminating the use of HFCS derived from GMO corn, which has been happening across the food industry, obviously meets that goal as well.

But what’s so ironic about this campaign is that Smucker’s already has a product for consumers that want non-GMO jelly! In fact, I commented on their Facebook page that I was disappointed they had done so, because it was vilifying a perfectly safe technology. This demonstrates that the anti-GMO and organic movement isn’t about giving people options or food choices. Rather, they aim to push an agenda and force it on people by elminating choices and options.

The activists claim that they want Smucker’s to only source non-GMO, organic ingredients to give consumer’s choice, but they already have a choice!

This is hypocrisy at it’s best! It also reveals that the anti-GMO, organic agenda has a very well crafted and honed message. They talk about promoting choices, promoting healthier food options, and answering consumer demand. What they fail to advertise is that their agenda actually results in less choices, meaningless labels, and consumers that are paying more money for the same product. But that perfect marketing is exactly why they’ve been so successful so far.

I want to encourage you to reach out to Smucker’s and urge them not to cave into this harassing and targeted campaign. Let them know that you support technology in agriculture, you support farmers using less pesticides and safer options, you support lower food costs. In other words, you support biotechnology! You can contact Smucker’s on Facebook, Twitter, or their website.