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Ronnie Cummins

Ronnie Cummins

Posted: August 19, 2010 03:16 PM

Kellogg's Tells Consumers Why They Love Their Monsanto-Made Frankenfoods

Members of the Organic Consumers Association who recently joined the group's Kellogg's boycott, received this letter from Christina Calleros, Kellogg's "Consumer Specialist":

Thank you for your comments regarding the use of biotechnology ingredients. Like you, we want only the best ingredients to go into our products.

Biotech ingredients are safe and have become common in the open market. Sixty to seventy percent of packaged foods in the U.S. include biotechnology crops. Even organic ingredients can contain biotech ingredients due to cross-pollination.

We use biotech ingredients based on the backing of groups including the World Health Organization, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the American Medical Association that confirm there are no safety concerns.

You have placed trust in us to provide healthy, nutritious, and safe food. We will continue to evaluate our ingredients, suppliers and product formulas to give you the best products possible. Please be assured your concerns will be shared with our nutritionist and food developers here at Kellogg.

Sincerely,

Christina Calleros
Consumer Specialist
Consumer Affairs, Kellogg's

Calleros needs to hear from us.

Tell Kellogg's that genetically engineered foods are not safe! Scientists reviewing Monsanto's own studies "have proven that genetically engineered foods are neither sufficiently healthy or proper to be commercialized." Genetically engineered crops and foods damage animal and human health, require vast amounts of toxic and climate-destabilizing herbicides and chemical fertilizers, generate superweeds that require deadly herbicides like 2,4-D for eradication, and spread genetic pollution into adjoining crops and plant relatives.

Let Kellogg's know that organic consumers don't appreciate Kellogg's "so-what" attitude toward the genetic contamination of organic crops! The Supreme Court recently ruled that the potential of genetically engineered crops to pollute organic varieties is a reason to hold back Monsanto's Frankencrops - not promote them!

Learn more: Organic Consumers Association's Kellogg's Boycott

 

Follow Ronnie Cummins on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OrganicConsumer

 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
organicconnect
12:36 AM on 08/25/2010
The entire premise for GM foods has nothing to do with crop yields or quality for these giant companies. It is all about being able to have a monopoly on the supply of food through the use of intellectual property laws, i.e., patents. As you know, you can't patent a natural substance. But you can patent something you have "modified" as your own creation. These guys know the science doesn't back them up. (http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2009/08/scientists-critical-of-argument-for-gm-crops-2/) It is all about the bucks, so vote with your wallets!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Carolyn Kostopoulos
10:10 PM on 08/24/2010
boycott, boycott, boycott

not only kelloggs but all their subsidiaries. write them a letter telling them why. frankly, all their "food" comes in a book or package and is made in a lab so whether it contains GM ingredients or not, you probably shouldn't be eating it anyway.

as my italian friend once said "how do you americans shop? there's no food in your grocery stores! everything's in a box!"

you can't fool an italian when it comes to food
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
teaksmama
02:43 PM on 08/23/2010
of course that should say 'ignorant' comments. dang these fingers of mine...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
teaksmama
02:41 PM on 08/23/2010
it is so bad for my blood pressure to read these things, and even worse to read some people's ignorang comments. monsanto is a greedy soul sucking corporation who are completely uninterested in producing food for people, and only interested in producing profits for themselves. this kellogg story is not news. some of us have known it all along. getting the word out is important, which is why everyone should keep up the good reporting, reposting, etc. pretty soon even my old high school mates still, unfortunately, stuck in ohio will actually read something like this and finally believe the evil is floating around in their breakfast bowls.
10:13 PM on 08/21/2010
Even if consuming GM crops wasn't a health concern (and we don't really know yet) there are a few subtle reasons to oppose them. Companies like Monsanto encourage farmers to buy seed every year and enforce penalties for replanting. They prosecute farmers nearby who may have had their plants cross-pollinated, through no fault of their own. All this reduces genetic diversity of the crops, which leads to a small gene pool very vulnerable to new diseases. Any time Monsanto "reaches out" to farmers in poorer countries, they reduce the native gene pool and prevent the farmers from saving seed. Promoting monocultures will kill off genetic diversity. Long term, we are paying to shoot ourselves in the collective foot.
http://humanrights.change.org/blog/view/how_monsanto_hurts_farmers_around_the_world?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
11:47 AM on 08/22/2010
Most small farmers practice crop rotation which also decreases the need for fertilizers and renews the soil. Great comment, Noxvox. Fav #2
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HazelPethigFan
I don't know until I know
09:28 PM on 08/22/2010
Hey Lars Floodberg... large farmers rotate crops as well.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
03:16 PM on 08/20/2010
OUR NEW 'FOOD SAFETY CZAR', MICHAEL TAYLOR
DUELING BIOGRAPHIES
PART 1 OF 2

The saga of giving key slots to industry insiders - eg, GS 'experts' - continues, but now it literally hits home. Watch closely for what is not said by 'our' government.

Here are 2 versions of Mr. Taylor's qualifications...

(1) The FDA press release on Mr. Taylor ignores his Monsanto career:

"Taylor has had a long and distinguished career in public service. He began at the FDA in 1976 as a litigating attorney. He served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy from 1991 to 1994, overseeing FDA's policy development and rulemaking, including the implementation of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and issuance of new seafood safety rules.

From 1994 to 1996, he served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety. During that time, he spearheaded public health-oriented reform of the FSIS. Since 2000, Taylor has worked in academic and research settings on the challenges facing the nation’s food safety system and ways to address them.

Taylor’s recent research agenda has focused on policy, resource, and institutional issues that affect the success of public health agencies in carrying out their prevention-related missions. He served as chair of the steering committee of the Food Safety Research Consortium, collaboration among six universities and a nonprofit think tank to improve food safety decision making and priority setting."
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
03:15 PM on 08/20/2010
OUR NEW 'FOOD SAFETY CZAR', MICHAEL TAYLOR
DUELING BIOGRAPHIES
PART 2 OF 2

(2) Here's a more complete version including his Monsanto experience, from La Vida Locavore:

"Mr. Taylor is a lawyer who began his revolving door adventures as counsel to FDA. He then moved to King & Spalding, a private-sector law firm representing Monsanto, a leading agricultural biotechnology company. In 1991 he returned to the FDA as Deputy Commissioner for Policy, where he was part of the team that issued the agency's decidedly industry-friendly policy on food biotechnology and that approved the use of Monsanto's genetically engineered growth hormone in dairy cows. His questionable role in these decisions led to an investigation by the federal General Accounting Office, which eventually exonerated him of all conflict-of-interest charges. In 1994, Mr. Taylor moved to USDA to become administrator of its Food Safety and Inspection Service... After another stint in private legal practice with King & Spalding, Mr. Taylor again joined Monsanto as Vice President for Public Policy in 1998." http://www.lavidalocavore.org/diary/1234/

Taylor, ATTORNEY, has been a professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine, in 2007 he also became a Research Professor of Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_R._Taylor

If you're not nervous, you should be.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
02:15 PM on 08/20/2010
“CLEAR LABELING GIVES PATENT HOLDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THEIR PRODUCTS ARE MORE DESIRABLE. WHY OPPOSE IT?

Wall Street pays 'our' government employees and legislators so much more to ignore or hide problems than we pay them to 'protect' our food supply. Studies and experts on both sides abound. Other governments and growers that feel it's too early to tell or have valid concerns.

CLEAR LABELING AND FREE CHOICE CAN SETTLE THIS ISSUE.

If GE/GMO modified foods are truly superior and problem free, producers like Kellogg's and the patent holders should embrace labeling as a very inexpensive solution. It's a chance to prove that consumers, when given a free choice, choose their product. They could gloat over the ever increasing market share...if it increases.

Kellogg's, impress us. Label your products on the front with the details of the GE/GMO modified products, and let the consumer decide. Let the consumer know what they are really eating, and abide by their decisions.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
03:46 PM on 08/20/2010
You would think they would at least do it with Kashi.

I used to really respect Kashi.

It is sad to witness a fall from grace.

For you listening enjoyment: (Reel Big Fish - Sell Out)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gO59rZrisQ&feature=search

☮
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
04:25 PM on 08/20/2010
This is the one argument patent holders can't get past - the last thing they want is labeling. Funny how such a simple and cheap solution makes them run for cover. It's a shame our food czar is clearly one of them.

Perfect link, btw! I needed this on a Friday!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
floodberg
Attorney (ret.)
10:18 AM on 08/20/2010
REPLY TO:
HazelPethigFan 13 hours ago (9:38 PM)

Here's a list of 25 Nobel prize winners who support GM:

http://www.agbioworld.org/declaration/nobelwinners.html

Note the list includes Norman Borlaug. He won the Nobel prize for developing a wheat (before GM technology) that saved a mere 1 billion people from starvation.

Any of you antiGM people ever saved 1 billion people before?

*******************************************************************
HPF, this is priceless! Any trial lawyer can find Nobel Prize winners who will testify that there are space aliens in Congress. I'm sure BP's lining them up as we speak to say the Gulf is not only perfectly safe but radically improved by the oil 'spill.'

Thanks for the first laugh of the day!
08:59 AM on 08/22/2010
Name three.
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HazelPethigFan
I don't know until I know
09:38 PM on 08/19/2010
Here's a list of 25 Nobel prize winners who support GM:

http://www.agbioworld.org/declaration/nobelwinners.html

Note the list includes Norman Borlaug. He won the Nobel prize for developing a wheat (before GM technology) that saved a mere 1 billion people from starvation.

Any of you antiGM people ever saved 1 billion people before?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
08:19 AM on 08/20/2010
You eat it then.

The apologist for Kelloggs even states that through cross pollination transgenic genes are present in non-transgenic foods. That's not OK.

Borlaug didn't use transgenics to "save" anyone since he didn't use transgenics.

Either you are intentionally spinning this like a shill or you are simply ignorant.

:-]
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HazelPethigFan
I don't know until I know
12:20 PM on 08/20/2010
try reading some quotes by borlaug:

"Norman Borlaug Blasts GMO Doomsayers
Africa News Service
By Tervil Okoko
June 7, 2000

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Nobel Prize laureate, Dr Norman E. Borlaug, has defended the utilisation of Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs to boost food production in the world.

He told a forum organised in his honour at the Nairobi International Centre for Research in Agriculture and Forestry Monday that such organisms could play a key role in bringing about food security.

"There is no evidence to indicate that biotechnology is dangerous. After all, mother nature has been doing this kind of thing for God knows how long," he said. Told a packed hall consisting of researchers and food scientists in the Kenyan capital.

He dismissed the critics of GMOs as people who had not produced even a kg of food and yet were yelping about bio-safety and the dangers involved in the technology....."
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
08:27 AM on 08/20/2010
You eat it then.

Either you are intentionally spinning this like a shill or you are simply uninformed.

As of 2009, 802 individuals and 20 organizations have been awarded a Nobel Prize.

25 of them support 'Agricultural Biotechnology'?

Shocking!

The apologist for Kellogg's even states that through cross pollination transgenic genes are present in non-transgenic foods. That's not OK.

Borlaug didn't use transgenics to "save" anyone since he didn't use transgenics.

Simply labeling transgenics would allow the consumer to make the choice.

:-]
04:27 PM on 08/19/2010
I am probably speaking to a realtive few here, but I know that Monsanto and Con-agra not only control most of our foods, but they also use forceful tactics against american and canadian farmers to use their biotech products. I followed Monsanto when they were approved by the FDA for a growth hormone in cows to produce milk. Monsanto only did a 10 day trial, got the FDA to approve it, then were advertising the growth hormone to produce more milk as the most thoroughly tested cow growth hormone on the market, yet, Canada wasn't buying Monsanto's story and saw that it causes Cancer. So the milk your children drink at school are tainted with Monsanto's growth hormones that may cause cancer in your child. It is never a good Idea to have only 4 food conglomerates control, patent and monopolize the food industry. I always suggest to go to your local farms and buy local fruits, and vegetables.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
08:07 AM on 08/20/2010
Seconded.

☮
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
08:28 AM on 08/20/2010
Twice

LOL

☮
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cabinetmaniac
"Without a struggle, there can be no progress. "
08:07 AM on 08/20/2010
Seconded

☮