Tag: Bulk is Green

The fact that Monsanto’s illegal strain of GM Wheat was found in a field in Oregon has already impacted export markets.  In Kansas, a wheat farmer is taking the battle back to Monsanto.  Here’s a link to the story on Reuter’s – http://news.yahoo.com/kansas-wheat-farmer-sues-monsanto-over-rogue-wheat-155201442.html

Here’s the story on the EU’s decision to test all imported wheat, following Japan’s cancellation of current orders of US Wheat, http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/05/european_union_urges_its_membe.html

The potential economic impact of Monsanto’s illegal strain of wheat found growing in Oregon is another reason that our seed supply and crop methods should not be under the influence of just a small number of companies.  Whether or not you agree with the concerns over GMO’s, the fact that a strain of wheat that shouldn’t exist DOES in fact exist raises significant concerns over all GM crops and our ability to keep some Non-GMO seeds and crops in existence.

The title alone says it all…here’s the story – http://grist.org/news/illegal-monsanto-gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon/

SunRidge Farms is pleased to be supporter of the Kidz Backpack Project which aims to put a new or gently used school backpack filled with school supplies in the hands of kids in need for their upcoming school year.  This program has been going since 2003 and last year supplied 345 completed backpacks here in Santa Cruz!  This year’s goal is 350 so please join us in supporting a very worthy cause.  For more on the story, please see this article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel – http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_23332821/getting-ready-fall-kidz-backpack-project-kicks-off?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

The news on the Non-GMO front is continuing to heat up as over 2 million people across the world marched against Monsanto on May 25th.  As this battle continues to heat up more and more food suppliers are searching for ingredients that are GMO free.   Companies like Whole Foods that are requiring their suppliers to ensure that their products are Non-GMO are also adding fuel to the fire.  We feel this is great news as the corporations that stand behind the GM crops still haven’t been willing to do the research to demonstrate why their foods are exactly the same in the body as Non-GM foods, as they claim.  That lack of transparency is what is driving people in record numbers to find out what’s actually in their food and moving us towards the requirement of labeling.  This story from the NY Times helps us understand the challenges we still face while still moving forward…

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/27/business/food-companies-seeking-ingredients-that-arent-gene-altered.html?_r=2&

SunRidge Farms will be in booth 1085 for the Sweets and Snacks Show at McCormick Center in Chicago, 5/20-5/23.  We’d love for you to stop by and see and sample our newest items.  For more info on the show click here, http://www.sweetsandsnacks.com/

Organic farming is rattling the entrenched agri-business community with a proposed amendment that would would allow the organic industry to organize and pay for a unified

industry promotional campaign called a “check-off” that is facilitated

by the Agriculture Department but is no cost to the government. These

promotional programs have traditionally been limited to individual

commodities or crops, producing familiar campaigns like “Got Milk?” and

“Beef: It’s What’s for Dinner.”  This amendment passed committee even with comments like this:

“That’s one of the things that has caught me and raises my concerns,

is that industry’s lack of respect for traditional agriculture,” said

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga. He was referring to some organic companies’

efforts to reduce the number of genetically modified crops in the

marketplace.

At the same time, Scott acknowledged that he and his wife buy organic foods.

For more on the story, click here – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/organic-food-industry_n_3291908.html

Food Safety News brings us this article regarding urgently needed assessments of some additional concerns with genetically engineered crops.  The public’s help is needed to ensure that these assessments are accomplished by pushing our public officials to support independent research.  See the latest here – http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/05/ge-crop-risk-assessment-challenges-an-overview/#.UYfXmoKzI7A

Honeybee’s are good.  We know this since about 80% of our food supply is pollinated by bees.  Honeybee’s are also dying at incredible rates each year; so much so that our food supply is at risk.  The US Government has a take on the colony collapse that is happening and here’s their report, http://weather.yahoo.com/feds-many-causes-dramatic-bee-disappearance-152605922.html. 

Simply put, regardless the reason for the decline in bee populations, we have to take this seriously and realize that if pollinators go away so do humans.  All of need to be aware of our actions that contribute to the bee decline.  One of those factors is GM (genetically modified) crops.  How much of a factor seems to be under debate but, regardless, these crops have a negative impact on bee colonies.  What is really difficult to fathom is why a company like Monsanto fears research?  Recently we shared a story about a bee research company that had produced research implicating Monsanto’s products as a leading contributor to colony collapse disorder.  What happened to that company and that research?  It was bought by Monsanto!   Coincidence??   We think not….

We were so excited to see another grocery retailer taking the steps to require their suppliers to label their products as to their GMO content.   As the evidence mounts that GMO’s are a health concern we applaud efforts to limit our exposure to these ‘foods’.   For more on this visit the New Leaf Community Markets website at http://www.newleaf.com/common/news/store_news.asp?task=store_news&sid_store_news=300&storeID=J3QSSEQX5CS92J2000AKHMCCQJA05T39