Organic food is precious because it is clean and healthy food, packed full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Organic production doesn’t hurt the environment. It benefits the environment. To protect organic agriculture, it helps to say no to those companies or people that threaten its very existence.

Monsanto is one such company. Monsanto is the world’s largest producer of genetically modified (GM) seeds. They also produce agri-chemicals including pesticides and herbicides such as the world’s best selling weed killer round-up. Other products from this corporate giant include bovine growth hormone, aspartame1 and terminator seeds .2

Watch the video to find out how much Monsanto spent in the first quarter of 2009 on lobbying the government.

Part of the company’s success comes from consumers unknowingly buying huge amounts of its products every day.

There are two very easy changes to make in your daily shopping list that will impact this company’s bottom line.

First, if you live in the US stop buying conventional sugar. 50% of US sugar comes from sugar beet. Monsanto launched its GM sugar beet in 2008, and in 2009 Monsanto sugar beet will comprise 90% of the US sugar beet harvest. Alternatives to conventional sugar include organic sugar, honey, maple syrup or stevia liquid/ powder. Do not use artificial sweeteners as they are potentially damaging to health.

Secondly, do not buy Round-Up. This applies to anyone, anywhere. This is one of Monsanto’s best selling products anywhere in the world. The company has produced a whole range of GM seeds built to be Round up resistant including soy, corn and sugar beet among others. Round-up resistant seeds means the farmer can spray everything in the field including the crops. This means the crop system is flooded with synthetic chemicals and toxins. The plants absorb all of these. Residues from these dangerous compounds are then left in the plants, the soil, the air and water. We, as humans, then consume them.

Simply by not buying these products, and telling your friends why they mustn’t buy them either, millions of dollars will be diverted away from Monsanto.

Say no to GMO, say yes to healthy natural foods. If nothing else, buy organic sugar and learn about organic weed prevention!

  1. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener now recognised as a neurotoxin by some doctors. [↩]
  2. Terminator seeds are engineered so farmers can’t use seeds from their crops to grow next year’s harvests. [↩]

Filed under: Organic Farming

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