The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

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Demanding GMO-Free at the Food Pantry

April 29, 2016

All of the negative messaging by special interest groups might just seem like a propaganda war that we’re fighting, but it has real world consequences!

Sustainable Origins is an organization that works to promote Feeding America’s Invest an Acre program. They bring New York farmers into city food banks so they can see exactly who their donations and investments are going to help. Unfortunately, the following situation happened:

Volunteering at a food pantry in NYC today we saw a woman turn down frozen vegetables because they weren’t “GMO Free”. Tragic, sad and wrong

— Sustainable Origins (@SustainOrigins) April 28, 2016

This is a problem I originally wrote about back in 2014 – negative messaging on food safety is discouraging the consumption of fruits and vegetables. In fact, the Alliance for Food and Farming did a consumer study that indicated a link between negative messages about food safety and consumers feeling uncomfortable about purchasing non-organic produce. Given our country’s obesity epidemic, this is not a helpful!

For people that are struggling to make ends meet, the negative messages make the situation worse. They likely are unable to purchase all organic or non-GMO verified produced due to the higher prices. If they’re afraid or unwilling to purchase conventional produce based on those messages, then the only other solution is to not purchase any fruits and vegetables at all.

The situation described by Sustainable Origins seems even worse. This woman walked into a food pantry. While we don’t want to make too many assumptions, she was probably what is referred to as “food insecure,” meaning part of a family or household that has limited or uncertain access to food. In other words, she was going into the food pantry for food because her family probably doesn’t have enough to eat.

But instead of feeling confident that the food she was receiving meets the high standards and food safety of the United States agriculture industry, she was afraid. She was afraid because there wasn’t a label on her food assuring her that it was “GMO free.” Somewhere along the line, she’s been inundated with the notion that GMO foods are harmful and she needs to avoid them – even if it means not having access to the healthy produce her and her family need!

That’s an absolute crime and the people and organizations that perpetrate such a myth should be ashamed!

It’s also why companies like Hershey’s, Smucker’s, Chipotle, Campbell’s, Aunt Millie’s, and all the rest should be ashamed. Sure, they added those non-GMO labels onto their products so they can engage in a popular (and, sadly, successful) marketing tactic, but that marketing tactic hurts people. It unnecessarily spreads fear and misunderstanding.

This is also why I encourage you to say something when you see lies, propaganda, and bad information. You may not be able to convince everyone. Not everyone will listen. Some people will end up not liking you. But it might make a difference and it might help someone avoid being afraid and turning away food when they really need it – and that alone should be a pretty compelling reason to speak up.

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Filed Under: Biotechnology, Labeling Tagged With: GMO, labeling, labels, marketing

Comments

  1. Eric Bjerregaard says

    April 29, 2016 at 7:22 am

    When you say something. It is like planting seeds with a low germination rate. Even something like the next lady in line thanking the first, who rejected, and the grabbing the package might help. We have a few organic farmers who know better, and are respected in the community. If they would come out of the closet and speak up it would help. But they are afraid of losing status and sales. Their self image is also involved.

  2. Jeff says

    April 29, 2016 at 10:15 am

    And this is the very reason why I, as a Democrat, hate both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Bernie feeds into this anti-GMO paranoia, and Hillary, after hearing how popular this rhetoric is among the less intelligent members of our party, has decided to echo Bernie’s views. Neither of them seem to care about how many Americans will go hungry if their food faddist views become law, thus making GMO foods either unavailable or too expensive.

  3. jay says

    May 23, 2016 at 11:15 am

    I was fairly certain the only GMO vegetables currently on the market in the US are corn and squash. Then again, frozen item, not sure what may have been added along the way.

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

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thefarmersdaughterusa

I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney by day, and "agvocate" at night.

Amanda Zaluckyj
Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. I took Green soybeans as far as the eye can see. 

I took this photo over the weekend. These beans should be turning yellow and drying for harvest. So why aren't they? Because...the spring drought.

Seeds need water to germinate. But after we planted we didn't have rain for weeks. So those seeds just sat in the dirt and never sprouted. Then, finally, it rained. And the tiny plants started popping up.

The problem? It was several weeks too late for planting. The question is whether they'll be ready to harvest before the snow flies. We have shorter seasons in Michigan, so it'll be close.
Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍 Sunsets on the #farm are the best. 😍
💜💜 💜💜
Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purch Don't let anyone make you feel bad about not purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. It all counts.

#modernagriculture #foodproduction #usfarmers #usagriculture #usfarms #food #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #modernag #farms #sustainableagriclture #sustainablefarming
I visited one of my favorite local farm stands ove I visited one of my favorite local farm stands over the weekend. I thought I'd buy a couple zucchini and cantaloupe. But the zucchini looked more like clubs, and the cantaloupe was too ripe for my taste. So I passed on those and bought some tomatoes that maybe cost more than I would have preferred.

But you know what I didn't do? I didn't complain about the zucchinis' size. I didn't fuss about the melons' ripeness. I didn't criticize the tomatoes' price. Instead, I smiled at the lovely lady and made small talk as I paid and went about my day. 

Why? Because I remember what it was like being out by the side of the road hot day after hot day. I know that we all poured everything we had into that produce. I remember how defeating it felt when some criticized it. I know that the price is probably around market value, even if it's cheaper in the grocery store. And I know that the farm family behind that cash register is giving everything they have to chase a dream.

I won't be the one to rain on their parade. 

#Respect
Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa! #nationaldogda Happy #nationaldogday from Mischa!

#nationaldogday🐶 
#pittiemix 
#blacklab 
#mischa
Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. Mischa and I are home on the farm for the weekend. And we're loving it.
It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all It isn't one or the other. Farmers care about all of it.

#agriculture #farming #sustainablefarming #sustainability
I threw a birthday party for Mischa! It was over t I threw a birthday party for Mischa! It was over the top and wonderful. And she had so much fun surrounded by people that love her. 💕

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate my little love. 💜
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