Food for Freedom

The idea that food that is NOT sprayed with chemicals needs to be bought at a premium always struck me as being mad. It’s as ed up as the idea that its cheaper to buy ‘fresh food’ flown half way round the world. Now organic foods are coming out of the niche market and maybe non-GMO foods have to go through the same process?

A new project in the states (thanks Carmelos) suggest this is so:

"GMO = "Genetically Modified Organism". As the debate rages over the uses of biotechnology, especially the genetic modification of plants and animals for use in commercial food products, a group of natural grocery stores and co-ops in the United States and Canada have taken the issue into their own hands. They have formed The Non-GMO Project, which will provide North American consumers with the ability to purchase Non-GMO products produced in compliance with a membership supported, rigorous Non-GMO Program Standard. "People have a right to know what is in the food and supplement products they are buying," said a project spokesman, "And if most people knew for certain that they were buying a product that contained GMOs, they would seek an alternative."

Due to the absence of food labelling laws for GMOs in both the U.S. and Canada, consumers cannot be certain if a food or supplement product contains genetically modified ingredients. The Non-GMO Project was founded by two natural grocery stores, The Natural Grocery Company in Berkeley, California, and The Big Carrot Natural Food Market in Toronto, Canada.”

More here, No GM Project

We should be following this lead but take it much further. Our new green-free Scotland should have an integrated food – culture and environment policy, with three goals: towards optimal seasonality, maximising local organic produce and declaring ourselves a fair trade nation. All this could be co-ordinated through city councils, schools, allotments and prisons. The advantages? Stronger local economy, long-term health benefits, strengthened bio-diversity. Lead by example.

2 comments

your right, especially about the lead from example bit but it is very hard sometimes not to take the easy option and buy shit food.

excellent site BTW. linking to it now. it has taken me a while to find out other decent scottish sites.

here is mine

left by michael the tubthumper on 14 January 2006

thanks Tubthumper

left by Gus on 15 January 2006