Smirnoff has joined the growing list of liquor companies adopting the non-GMO label. But one Kansas liquor store isn’t tolerating it!
A & C Liquid assets posted the following on their Facebook page:
We are having a stock reduction sale on all Smirnoff vodkas, cost plus tax! Smirnoff vodka has decided to move to a non-gmo brand. As we are also the owners of a farm; we are going to stand up for our morals and science and not be brand bullied into selling something trying to make a bad name for GMO crops. We support our Agriculture community and stand by our farmers; who lose hours at their table to bring food to other tables. We choose to believe science not fear mongering propaganda. We have many other types of vodka that are a better quality. Many vodkas we carry are made here in Kansas with Kansas grain!! We will be hosting a vodka tasting soon for everyone to try some wonderful flavored and regular vodkas, so be on the lookout for that date. We appreciate your understanding and hope you will stand with us in support of our Agriculture community and say no to Smirnoff Vodka
The store is clearancing all its current stock of Smirnoff products to cost plus tax, and not ordering any new inventory.
The non-GMO label is offensive to farmers because it demonizes a safe technology that has revolutionized the industry. Since adopting bioengineered crops farmers have benefitted with higher yields and increased profits. And because many GMO crops require less chemical pest protection, they are generally better for the environment. Scientific consensus says these crops are just as safe as their non-GMO counterparts.
But don’t tell that to radical organizations like The Non-GMO Project, which has made its fortunes through selling a fear-based narrative. The public relations campaigns against these safe crops has even lead to a national labeling requirement.
Not all consumers are fooled though. There has been a marked increase in vocal outcry when companies try to adopt this marketing strategy. (Just ask Stonyfield Organic.)
A & C Liquid Assets is one of the first companies to take a product with the non-GMO label off its shelves. Hopefully this will be the start of a new trend at grocery and liquor stores across the country!
Well done, A & C Liquid Assets! Thank you for standing with farmers and science!
Love it !!β€
Wow thank you. I am Allison the owner of Liquid Assets. I hope others do follow
Nice to see a company stand against the nonsense. Maybe I should stop and buy some booze in Kansas on my way to Michigan next summer.
Wow
That is amazing guys, well done.
From a grain farmer in Saskatchewan, Bravo!
Well done! Say no to fear mongering.
Ummm, so are they gonna remove all the whiskey made with corn? Turns out it’s been genetically modified for thousands of years…
Only if it has a non-GMO label…
No, GMO is NOT thousands of years old!!!! Only idiots and doctors/drug companies are pro GMO!
Farmers are idiots? I hope you grow your own food then!
Steve Thomas, try harder next time. You can look even more foolish if you try harder. Both accidental and deliberately bred “GMOs” are thousands of years old. Look up “naturally occurring gmos sweet potato. then a photo of teosinte next to an ear of corn. Then come back and apologize.
Gary, selective breeding, which has been going on for centuries, is not the same as genetically modified. A large part of the confusion comes from people not understanding the terms. As defined in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which regulates international trade in living GMOs (specifically, “any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology”). A specific type — transgenic organism — is that whose whose genetic makeup has been altered by the addition of genetic material from an unrelated organism.
Heather, by that definition then Arctic Apples aren’t GMOs. Though I think defining these things is always going to be somewhat arbitrary.
Yes they are certainly GMO by that definition… biotechnology was used to produce them. They silenced the gene for producing PPOs.
But it doesn’t include any DNA from another species, which is part of your definition.
Amanda, please go back and read it again….. or… let me condense it for you… a GMO is anything that is changed by using biotechnology. Under the GMO designation — is a sub group — a specific type — that is called a “transgenic organism”. That is a GMO that has different DNA. Transgenic means a genetic transfer. So yes, Arctic Apples ARE GMO as technology was used to silence the gene… and if you go to their website they proudly claim that is a GMO. Arctic Apples are GMO and potatoes that have had jelly fish genes inserted to make them glow are transgenic organism. This is why it is so important for everyone to know the definitions so that common sense discussions can take place.
I gotcha. And I do agree Arctic Apples are GMO. Though there aren’t any glowing potatoes so….