Disgusting.
That’s pretty much the only word I can use the describe a recent tweet by GM Watch proudly announcing the reality that family farms in the Midwest could be “crippled” if more and more companies move away from using genetically modified ingredients – a goal that the organization would be more than happy to see.
Some midwest farms and producers could be crippled if more food firms start removing #GMO ingredients https://t.co/ZvziiNd5iP
— GMWatch (@GMWatch) January 2, 2016
The story linked in GM Watch’s tweet discusses the reality that family farmers, in particular sugar beet farmers, are being hurt financially by the anti-GMO fervor. Companies like Hershey’s have switched away from using GMO sugar varieties allegedly due to consumer demand. Ironically enough, sugar does not even have DNA and sugar from GMO plants cannot be distinguished from sugar from non-GMO plants in a laboratory. Nonetheless, if companies continue to make the switch away from sugar beets, then family farmers across the Midwest will be crippled financially as a result.
But this “consumer demand” is nothing more than a loud minority that is spurred on by radical and well-funded special interest groups. Along with organizations like March Against Monsanto, Institute of Responsible Technology, and the Organic Consumers Association, GM Watch does its part to spread misinformation and falsities regarding genetically modified crops. For all the talk about wanting to promote human health, food safety, and a consumer’s right to know, the reality is that these groups have one objective: ban genetically modified foods and make a ton of money doing it.
GM Watch is of the same grain. According to the organization, it is “an independent organisation that seeks to counter the enormous corporate political power and propaganda of the GMO industry and its supporters.” It proudly boasts receiving hefty financial donations from other radical special interest groups like Food Democracy Now!, Friends of the Earth UK, and the Institute for Responsible Technology. Their goal is to overcome the supposedly corporate agenda of the mainstream media by spreading their propaganda via social media and other alternative news sources. Facts, science, and logic be damned.
And now that they have seen the fruits of their labors, they’re ready to celebrate – even if that means that family farmers will suffer for it.
The fact remains that 97% of all farms in the United States are owned and operated by families; the same is true for sugar beet farmers. These family farmers have adopted GMO technology because it’s good for their farms, good for the environment, and keeps food prices low for consumers. I know plenty of sugar beet farmers and I can tell you they are generally good and decent people. Just like every other family, they are trying to make a decent life for them and their children. These recent successes by anti-GMO activists only end up hurting them and their children.
But anti-GMO activists won’t stop with sugar beet farmers. They want to see an end to all use of genetically modified crops. If they have to take down family farmers in the process, they will happily do so.
Last year, I uncovered and explained how these extremists mean to destroy GMO corn farmers by pressuring companies like Starbucks to purchase only organic milk products. As soon as they accomplish these goals, these groups will dance around and celebrate on the ashes of our way of life. They’re dangerous because they don’t appreciate what we do, they don’t care that we’re trying to raise families, they don’t understand we’re producing quality and nutritious food, they have no concept about the realities and economies of agriculture, and they don’t understand the challenges of feeding a exponentially growing world population. Truth be told, they don’t care.
When someone asks why I spend so much time writing and creating, this is why. It isn’t because I’m a paid industry insider. It isn’t because I like being screamed at, insulted, and called terrible things online. It’s because I know that these people are set on destruction and they don’t care which family farm gets in their way. I’m willing to put up with all the unpleasantness because I’ve decided that protecting our family farm and our way of life was worth it.
This is also why I need you to stand up with me: join Team Ag, follow me on Facebook and Twitter, share stories and articles, discuss these issues with your family and friends, take a stand when someone spreads these falsehoods, and make contact with companies being bombarded by these anti-GMO messages.
We cannot hide our heads in the sand and just hope that reason and truth will prevail. We have to be our own voice, our own advocates, and our own defense team. Otherwise, it will be the end of our family farms that GM Watch and their ilk celebrate next.
I come from a family farm and do not understand why these crazy organizations are trying to kill them? Who do they think is going to grow the food for the world and just how are they going to produce it? ?
I’ll continue to share your post!
We plant GMO crops , corn and soybeans for the increased safety. I don’t have to handle insecticides the plant protects it’s self and produces a cleaner product. I could go back to conventional corn and beans just would like the anti GMO crowd to tell me what 50 percent of their family goes hungry ie starves . While the rest will have to wonder what the level of aflatoxin is in the food that they are eating.
non-farmers need to stop and understand why farmers have so enthusiastically adopted biotech crops. They help them get their job done and that job is one upon which we all depend. Companies like Hershey’s are not responding to consumer demand. The are just doing brand protection because they don’t respect their customers enough to believe they would listen to reason. The Girl Scouts have more courage!
Really sad when companies work with farmers not against them damm how long has gmo been around. These groups need to realize that plants aren’t the only thing that is gmo look at drugs we take for different reason. The problem we have all these yuppies taking over these companies