Non-GMO Source Nov04 - The Organic & Non-GMO Report

Table of Contents
GM Food Labeling News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Whole Foods Market to require GMO labeling by 2018
Whole Foods’ labeling move will drive change for “natural”
manufacturers
Hawaii natural food store chain to require GMO labeling by 2018
Michigan retailer will label non-GMO foods
Congressmen to introduce federal GM labeling bill
Natural Products Association calls for national standard on GMO
labeling
Non-GMO Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Tips for sourcing non-GMO grains and ingredients
Riverina Natural Oils announces Non-GMO Project verification
GMO News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
US Senate passes “Monsanto Protection Act” in spending bill
Global GM crop report is overblown and misleading
Monsanto threatens to sue European Food Safety Authority over
publication of GM corn data
GM Salmon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
US Senate passes amendment in favor of mandatory labeling of
GM salmon
Top grocery stores: We won’t sell GM seafood
Negative GMO Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Study finds Roundup herbicide more toxic than declared
Monarch butterfly decline tied to GM corn and soy
Birds, bees, and aquatic life threatened by toxicity of pesticide
Unintended consequences seen in GM cotton
Non-GMO News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
GMO-Free groups holding Earth Day events
German brewer is first to offer non-GMO beer
Certified non-GMO soy from Brazil expected to increase this year
Lake Champlain Chocolates commits to non-GMO ingredients
Companies receive Non-GMO Project verification
State GMO Labeling Initiatives . . . . . . . 20
Washington State labeling supporters raising funds, hire PR firm
Vermont moves closer to GM labeling law
Hawaii GM labeling bill tabled in Senate
Maine pushes to be first with GM labeling law
Pennsylvania coalition backs GM food labeling bill
GM labeling bills enter the Minnesota Legislature
Coalition pushes GM labeling bill in New Jersey
GM labeling issue heats up in Connecticut
New Hampshire committee to scrutinize labeling bill
Florida joins GM labeling fight
Oregon lawmaker introduces bills to label GM foods, fish
Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
John Roulac: We want to create a non-GMO world
Organic & Sustainable Agriculture . . . . 23
Indian farmers reap record amounts of rice—sustainably
Organic tomatoes more nutritious than conventional, study finds
Organic rice research receives $1 million in grants
Farmers Advocating for Organics plans for $1 million in grant awards
USDA’s sustainable food advocate steps down
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Farmer Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Young farmers: Sprouting the future of organic farming
Legal Battles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Beekeepers and public interest groups sue EPA over bee-toxic pesticides
Supreme Court appears to favor Monsanto in patent case
Company News/Announcements . . . . . 27
Johnny’s Selected Seeds celebrates 40th anniversary
Mary Kay Krogull joins Eurofins as president of the US Food Division
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Editor’s Note
GMO battle may be
decided at your local
grocery store
Whole Foods’ decision to require labeling of
genetically modified foods in its stores by 2018
has been hailed as a “game changer.” The New
York Times said it could “radically alter the food
industry.”
Ripple effect could lead to GMO rejection
A report by Daily Finance said it would change grocery shopping. In the same
way Whole Foods led the way in making organic foods common in supermarkets,
the trend-setting retailer will do the same for non-GMO foods.
An editorial in the San Jose Mercury News in California said “Other
stores will need to demand (GMO) labeling or else give up customers to
stores that do.”
In short, Whole Foods decision is likely to create a ripple effect throughout
the whole food production chain that could ultimately lead to widespread
rejection of GMOs.
Companies that now sell products containing GMO-risk ingredients
in Whole Foods will have to either reformulate their products to be non-
GMO or be labeled GMO in Whole Foods. They will almost certainly
choose the former.
Already, products that are Non-GMO Project verified see sales increase
15-30% in Whole Foods, according to Whole Foods president A.C. Gallo.
The impact will ripple down the supply chain to the farm level. Farmers
will grow more non-GMO crops to meet the demand. Fewer GM
seeds will be sold.
Similar to GMO rejection in Europe?
The above scenario is not unprecedented. In 1998, UK-based frozen food
chain Iceland Foods became the first major British retailer to ban GM foods.
Their sales increased by 10%, which led other retailers in the UK and Europe
to follow suit. Today, it is difficult to find any GMO-labeled products on store
shelves in Europe. GMOs have been widely rejected “across the pond.”
You could say Europe was different because GMOs weren’t in 80% of
processed foods as they are in the US.
But it is also true that European food manufacturers didn’t have a
non-GMO labeling alternative back then as their US counterparts do
today with the Non-GMO Project. This provides a carrot alternative to
the stick of GMO labeling.
Shortly after their GMO labeling announcement, Whole Foods and
several other large supermarket chains such as Trader Joe’s, Aldi’s, and H-
E-B said they wouldn’t sell GM salmon. Others may follow.
Again, we can see the power of retailers to decide the GMO debate.
With its decisions, Whole Foods has thrown a stone in the pond. It
will be interesting to see the ripples—or waves—that it creates.
Ken Roseboro
Editor
The Organic & Non-GMO Report
PO Box 436
Fairfield, IA 52556 USA
1-800-854-0586 • 1-641-209-3426
Fax: 1-641-209-3428
Email: ken@non-gmoreport.com
Internet: www.non-gmoreport.com
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 3

GM FOOD LABELING NEWS
Whole Foods Market to require
GMO labeling by 2018
Company supports consumer’s right to know by
setting five-year deadline for labeling GMOs
Whole Foods Market recently announced
that by 2018 all products in its US and
Canadian stores must be labeled to indicate
if they contain genetically modified organisms.
Whole Foods Market is the first national grocery
chain to set a deadline for full GMO transparency.
According to the New York Times, the
move could “radically alter the food industry.”
Support consumer’s
right to know
“We are putting a stake in the
ground on GMO labeling to
support the consumer’s right to
know,” said Walter Robb, co-
CEO of Whole Foods Market.
“The prevalence of GMOs in
the US paired with nonexistent
mandatory labeling makes it
very difficult for retailers to
source non-GMO options and
for consumers to choose non-
GMO products. Accordingly,
we are stepping up our support
of certified organic agriculture,
where GMOs are not allowed,
and we are working together
with our supplier partners to
grow our non-GMO supply
chain to ensure we can continue
to provide these choices in the
future.”
Whole Foods Market has
been collaborating with many of
its supplier partners for several
years to source products without
GMO ingredients. In 2009,
the company began putting its
365 Everyday Value line
through Non-GMO Project
verification and encouraged its
grocery supplier partners to do
the same. Whole Foods Market
currently sells 3,300 Non-
GMO Project verified products
from 250 brands. It will now
expand this effort, working with
suppliers in all categories as they
transition to ingredients from
non-GMO sources, or clearly
label products containing
4 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
Whole Foods decision to label GM foods could
"radically alter the food industry.”
GMOs by the five-year deadline.
Whole Foods Market will
make announcements about
progress and key milestones
along the way.
“Game changer”
GMOs are now part of an
ongoing national conversation,
thanks to efforts of various
advocacy groups such as Just-
LabelIt and to individual states
considering their own mandatory
labeling laws, like the
efforts that are now underway
in Washington State. “Whole
Foods Market supports that
measure and looks forward to
supporting other state efforts
that may finally lead to one
uniform set of national standards,”
said Robb.
Gary Hirschberg, chairman
of Stonyfield Farm and JustLabelIt,
called Whole Foods
move a “game changer,” telling
the New York Times: “We’ve
had some pretty big developments
in labeling this year.
Now, one of the fastest-growing,
most successful retailers in
the country is throwing down
the gauntlet.”
Five years too long?
The five-year timeline is too
long, according to consumer
advocacy groups, the Organic
Consumers Association and
Food Democracy Now. While
praising Whole Foods’ decision,
OCA executive director Ronnie
Cummins said: “We ask that
Whole Foods step up its
timetable for GMO labeling, to
coincide with the July 2015
deadline prescribed by I-522,
the citizens’ initiative for GMO
labeling in Washington State.”
In a blog, Robb said the
five-year timeline is to give
suppliers enough time to locate
non-GMO ingredients and
reformulate their products:
“This is a complicated issue,
and we wanted to give our supplier
partners enough time to
make this change.” ■
Whole Foods’
labeling move
will drive
change for
“natural” manufacturers
Organic and natural food
manufacturers praised
Whole Foods’ GMO labeling
commitment.
“It’s a bold statement that
they’re telling manufacturers to
either label GMOs, get them

out of products or don’t expect
your products to be in their
stores,” said Doon Wintz, president
of Wholly Wholesome.
“This will drive change for a lot
of manufacturers that aren’t
organic.”
According to a report by
Daily Finance, Whole Foods is
leading a trend among grocery
retailers where non-GMO
foods become mainstream in
the same way organic foods
became mainstream with
Whole Foods’ market influence.
“It’s an historic moment,”
said Mary Waldner, founder of
Mary’s Gone Crackers. “Somebody
had to do this. They are
being the leader we hoped California
would have been (with
Proposition 37).”
“To have Whole Foods take
the lead is fantastic. This is
going to make a difference,” says
Ryan Black, CEO, Sambozon.
“I think it’s a good move for
them,” said Colin Sankey, CEO
of Snikiddy. “Consumers rely
on Whole Foods to play a major
role in making the process move
forward and delivering what
consumers expect.”
“Whole Foods is coming
out on the side of consumer
awareness and nature,” said
Ken Whitman, president of
Natural Vitality.
Still, Whitman questioned
the five-year timeline. “A lot
can change in five years. It may
become a moot point. Are we
going to let up the pressure?”
Praise also came from
Whole Foods’ competition.
Jimbo Someck, owner of
Jimbo’s…Naturally and representative
of the Independent
Natural Food Retailers Association,
said: “Whole Foods’
announcement is tremendously
exciting as their visibility and
overall purchasing power will
hopefully be what the industry
needs to reach the critical
mass necessary to have products
that contain GMOs
labeled as such! This is exactly
what we need to move the
labeling of GMOs initiative
forward.”
Someck’s San Diego stores
have been committed to selling
only non-GMO products
since 2010. ■
Hawaii natural
food store
chain to
require GMO
labeling by
2018
Following Whole Foods’
lead, Hawaii-based Down
to Earth Organic & Natural
recently announced it
will begin requiring any products
with ingredients containing
genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) to be labeled as
such by 2018.
“Whole Foods’ announcement
is a game changer,” says
Mark Fergusson, Down to
Earth Chief Organic Officer.
“It marks a big victory in the
move towards the labeling of
genetically labeled foods.”
Down to Earth gives preference
to products that are
USDA certified Organic or
have the Non-GMO Project
Verified seal.
Down to Earth is Hawaii’s
leading organic and natural food
store chain. It has four stores on
Oahu: Honolulu, Kailua, Pearlridge,
and Kapolei; and one in
Kahului on Maui. ■
Michigan
retailer will
label non-GMO
foods
Michigan-based Hiller’s
Markets recently
announced that it would
label all non-GMO food
products in its stores.
In a blog on the retailer’s
website, company president
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6 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
“
GM FOOD LABELING NEWS • F R O M P A G E 5
Jim Hiller wrote: “For many
consumers the prospect of consuming
GMO food is frightening
and maybe especially so
because we don’t know which
foods are GMO. The US has
taken the position thus far that
they need not be identified on
the label. Hiller’s has decided to
give our customers a choice.
Henceforth, we will label the
non-GMO products in our
stores. I think you’ll be surprised
how many products are
genetically modified so we are
also on a quest to find and offer
more non-GMO’s.”
Founded in 1941, Hiller’s
sells gourmet and healthy foods
at seven store locations in
southeast Michigan. ■
Congressmen
to introduce
federal GM
labeling bill
There is a revolution going
on in our country,” said
Doug Radi, senior vice
president of Rudi’s Organic
Bakery, Inc. “The time is now.”
Radi was referring to the
growing number of US states
proposing legislation requiring
mandatory labeling of genetically
modified foods.
Now a federal labeling bill is
being worked up, led by US
Representatives Jared Polis, D-
Colo., Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.,
and Senator Barbara Boxer, D-
Calif.
At a press conference at
Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder,
Polis cited the uphill battle
such a bill would face.
Polis knows that Americans
overwhelmingly want freedom
to choose. “The fact (large food
companies) would want to hide
this information only raises
more concerns.”
Tyler Holm, an executive
for Horizon Organic and Silk
foods, endorsed the bill, as well
as Becky O’Brien, who directs
Hazon Boulder, the nation’s
largest Jewish environmental
organization.
(SOURCES: Boulder Journal;
FoodNavigator.com; Daily Camera;
Boulder Weekly) ■
Natural ProductsAssociation
calls for
national standard
on GMO
labeling
The Natural Products Association
(NPA) Board of Directors
calls for all foods containing
genetically-modified
organisms to be accurately
labeled under a national uniform
standard so consumers can
make educated decisions about
foods they purchase. NPA is the
nation’s largest association for
natural products, representing
over 1,900 members accounting
for more than 10,000 locations
of retailers, manufacturers,
wholesalers and distributors of
natural products.
“This is really very simple—
people have a right to know
what’s in their food. As the
nation’s largest association of
the natural products industry,
NPA is ready to play a leadership
role in this effort,” said
NPA executive director and
CEO John Shaw. ■

T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 7

8 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
NON-GMO INGREDIENTS
Tips for sourcing non-GMO grains
and ingredients
B Y K E N R O S E B O R O
With Whole Foods’ recent commitment to
GMO labeling by 2018, the demand for
non-GMO and organic grains and
ingredients is likely to increase. Companies
that sell GMO-risk products to Whole
Foods may reformulate their products with
non-GMO ingredients.
We surveyed non-GMO
suppliers to get their tips on
sourcing non-GMO grains and
ingredients.
Third-party non-GMO
verification is critical
Top on the list of recommendations
is finding a supplier that
has third-party non-GMO verification/certification
such as the
Non-GMO Project or Identity
Preservation (IP).
“Verification by an independent
third party is crucial,”
says Kim Davidson, president,
Davidson Commodities
(www.davidsoncommodities.co
m).
“Ask for Identity Preservation
certificates and proof, such
as GMO test results,” says
Chris Buklin, raw materials
documentation specialist, Griffith
Laboratories Canada
(www.griffithlaboratories.com).
“The Non-GMO Project certification
would be a great indicator
of a supplier conforming
to requirements.”
Steve Wickes, president,
Agricor (www.agricor.org), says:
“Third-party verification is
becoming increasingly important
and popular to downstream
markets.”
“Suppliers should have a
documented IP system
enabling proper segregation of
goods in order to avoid contamination,”
says Jochen
Koester, president, AgroTrace
(www.agrotrace.eu).
Diego Rivara, president,
RIVARA S.A.
(www.rivara.com.ar), says a recognized
quality standard is also
necessary to prevent GMO
contamination. “HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Points), ISO (International
Standards Organization),
GMP (Good Manufacturing
Practices) or a similar standard
would be the first requirement
that I would ask to be safe about
a non-contaminated product.”
Traceability is also critical,
says Peter Mattsson, vice president
export markets, St.
Lawrence Beans
(www.slbeans.com). “Can the
supplier show full traceability
on their products?”
International perspective,
direct access to
farmers
Suppliers should have a global
perspective because some non-
GMO ingredients may be
sourced outside North America.
“Manufacturers should ask
‘Where do the products originate?’
and ‘What are the non-
GMO laws in that region or

country?’ ” says Gary Bartl,
president, Austrade, Inc.
(www.austradeinc.com).
“Know where the suppliers
do business. If they do business
in Japan and Europe, they
should be familiar with GMO
requirements,” says Steve Ford,
president, Stonebridge, Ltd.
(www.stonebridgeltd.org).
The supplier should have a
long-term commitment to
non-GMO production, says
Bruce Wymer, vice president,
food grade soybean department,
Citizens, LLC (www.citizenselevator.com).
“An established
grower base is critical for
long-term success,” he says.
Vertical integration, which
means controlling the supply
chain starting at the farm, is
also important. “The companies
that handle the manufacturing
chain by themselves are
in a solid position to assure the
quality of their products,”
Rivara says.
“Look for suppliers that
have a direct access to growers
and/or are integrated,” Mattson
says.
Experience, ability to
deliver
Manufacturers should also look
for common sense attributes in
Courtesy of SK Food International
a reliable non-GMO supplier
such as a proven track record
and experience.
“You want essentially the
same qualities you are seeking
from your other valued suppliers
such as experience and
traceability. It would be beneficial
if the supplier had a history
in handling organic products
inasmuch as most of the protocols
will be similar…especially
the ability to identity preserve,”
says Brendan McEntee, president,
Cook Natural Products
(www.cooknaturally.com).
“It’s about being able to
deliver—it’s that simple,” says
Peter Golbitz, director of
international business development
SunOpta Grains and
Food Group
(www.sunopta.com/grains-andfood).
Plan ahead
Suppliers recommend that
manufacturers contract for
production of non-GMO
ingredients well in advance.
“Start early. It is important
to inform suppliers well in
advance of the anticipated
need. Sourcing non-GMO
grains in the open/spot market
may not be possible many
times,” says Paul Holmen,
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T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 9

NON-GMO INGREDIENTS • F R O M P A G E 9
president, Brushvale Seed
(www.brushvaleseed.com).
“Find reliable suppliers,
understand how they work and
purchase raw materials under
frame contracts. Trying to beat
the market by making spot purchases
may work at times, but it
guarantees excessive prices and
possibly no available good
towards the end of a season,”
Koester says.
Challenges
Because non-GMO, like
organic, is a niche market
there are challenges with
supply shortages, poor crops
due to bad weather or
drought, higher prices, and
1 0 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
other problems.
Several suppliers say it is
challenging to increase production
of non-GMO crops
such as corn and soybeans
because conventional farmers
are earning high prices for
commodity, GMO crops.
“It’s a challenge as farmers
get older because it is easier to
grow GM soybeans, and the
premium (for non-GMO) has
to be significant for them to
grow non-GMO,” Ford says.
“We need better premiums
to grow the market,” Wymer
says.
“It’s just a thinner market
with fewer suppliers that are
farther away, and (supplies are)
more expensive,” Wickes says.
“Only a few farmers are going
through non-GMO protocols.
If it were easy everyone would
do it.”
Then there is the threat of
GMO contamination.
“We see GM crops developing
very fast and getting into
areas where they had never
been, which makes it very challenging
to assure non-GMO,”
says Rivara, whose company is
based in Argentina, a leading
GM crop producer.
Sourcing may be difficult
for certain non-GMO ingredients.
“Specialty items may be
hard to find in significant
quantities at a reasonable price
such as enzymes and sugar
alcohols,” Buklin says.
“Certain corn based sweeteners
and anything with
enzymes (can be challenging to
find),” Bartl says.
Final thoughts
“Be very sure of your market
before you seek non-GMO
certification,” Buklin says.
“Many companies ask if it can
be done, but are not willing to
pay the higher costs associated
with non-GMO ingredients,
certification and testing.”
Mattson says that food
manufacturers who research
non-GMO suppliers now will
benefit later. “When food
manufacturers change formulas
from GMO to non-GMO
products, it will put big pressure
on the market, and the
companies that have done their
homework will survive.” ■
References:
• Several suppliers recommended
checking The Non-GMO Sourcebook,
which features a comprehensive list
of global non-GMO suppliers at
www.nongmosourcebook.com.
• There is also a list of Non-GMO
Project verified ingredient suppliers
at www.nongmoproject.org.
Riverina Natural
Oils
announces
Non-GMO
Project verification
Riverina Natural Oils
announced that their
expeller pressed canola
oil has been Non-GMO
Project Verified.
“As one of the only dedicated
non-GMO processing
plants in the world, in the
heart of the most productive
oilseed growing region in
Australia, our preferred access
to an abundant supply of non-
GMO canola seeds ensures
full non-GMO traceability
from farm to table,” says
company president Tushar
Adya.
Riverina Natural Oils has a
state of the art vegetable oil
processing plant that has an
annual capacity of crushing
and refining 165,000 tons of
multiple varieties of seed.
Products are available in bulk,
foodservice, and retail packaging
formats. ■

GMO NEWS
US Senate passes “Monsanto
Protection Act” in spending bill
Center for Food Safety calls rider “corporate welfare”
for Monsanto and other biotech companies
The Center for Food Safety (CFS) condemns
the inclusion of a dangerous corporate earmark,
the “biotech rider” or “Monsanto
Protection Act,” in the Continuing Resolution
(CR) passed recently in the US Senate. The
rider undermines the federal courts’ ability to
safeguard farmers and the environment from
potentially hazardous genetically modified
crops. Moreover, the rider represents an
unprecedented attack on US judicial review of
agency actions and is a major violation of the
separation of powers, an essential element of
US constitutional governance and law.
Congress has held no hearings
on this controversial
biotech rider and many
Democrats in the Committee
were unaware of its presence in
the CR. Additionally, Senator
Barbara Mikulski, the Chair of
the Senate Appropriations
Committee, failed to bring this
rider in front of the Agriculture
or Judiciary Committees.
“In this hidden backroom
deal, Senator Mikulski turned
her back on consumer, environmental,
and farmer protection
in favor of corporate welfare
for biotech companies such
as Monsanto,” said Andrew
Kimbrell, Executive Director
of the Center for Food Safety.
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1 2 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
GMO NEWS • F R O M P A G E 1 1
Should the bill be passed by
the House, the rider will only
be in effect for the life of the 6month
CR. CFS intends to
launch a major campaign to
make sure this deception is not
included in the next round of
appropriations bills.
Senator John Tester and his
co-sponsors Senators Boxer,
Gillibrand, Leahy, Begich and
Blumenthal tried to pass an
amendment stripping the
biotech rider, but despite
receiving calls and emails from
tens of thousands of citizens,
the amendment was ultimately
not successful. ■
Global GM
crop report is
overblown
and misleading
GM Freeze described the
annual report of the status
of GM crops around the
world as “rose-tinted” and
said it fails to describe the
growing opposition and problems
with GM crops.
GM crops still only occupy a
tiny percentage of global farmland
(3.4% of all farmed land)
and are only grown by a small
minority of farmers (17.3 million
out of a total 513 million
(3.4%). One fewer country
grew GM crops in 2012 compared
to 2011 (28 down from
29). Brazil alone accounted for
nearly two thirds of the
increase in global area in 2012.
In the US expansion slowed to
less than a 1% increase in 2012.
Many key facts are completely
ignored or glossed over
by the latest International Service
for the Acquisition of Agribiotech
Applications (ISAAA)
report published in February.
In the Americas, ISAAA didn’t
report the increasing problems
with glyphosate resistant
weeds in the US, Brazil, and
Paraguay and insect resistance
to GM Bt corn crops. The
report also ignored Peru’s
recent 10-year ban on GM
crops. ■
Monsanto
threatens to
sue European
Food Safety
Authority over
publication of
GM corn data
Monsanto has threatened
to sue the European
Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) over its publication
of the data on the company’s
NK603 GM corn.
This is the same GM corn
that Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini,
in his 2012 study, found
was associated with increased
organ damage, tumors, and
premature death when fed to
rats over the long term.
Claire Robinson, editor at
GMWatch and research director
at Earth Open Source, said:
“Monsanto’s threat to EFSA
clearly shows that the company
is an enemy to the public. Any
reputable company would be
proud of its products and open
about the science that underpins
their development.
“But Monsanto’s secretive
behavior and aggression
towards EFSA, the public food
regulatory agency, shows it has
much to hide.” ■

GM SALMON
Several major grocery chains have said they won’t
sell GM salmon
US Senate passes amendment in
favor of mandatory labeling of
GM salmon
The US Senate recently passed an amendment
offered by Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska)
to the Senate budget resolution in favor of
labeling genetically modified fish. The amendment,
passed by voice vote, modifies the budget
resolution to establish a deficit-neutral reserve
fund relating to the labeling of GM fish.
“Passage of the Begich
amendment serves as a clear
statement that the Senate supports
the labeling of genetically
engineered fish,” said Colin
O’Neil, director of government
affairs for the Center for Food
Safety. “The American people
have spoken loud and clear that
genetically engineered fish must
be labeled and today the US
Senate agreed with them.”
In his speech on the Senate
floor recently, Senator Begich
reiterated that over 60 countries
currently require the labeling of
GM foods including Japan,
Australia, Brazil, China, Russia
and the European Union. He
further noted that this week several
major grocery retailers,
such as Whole Foods, Trader
Joe’s and others representing
more than 2,000 stores across
the United States, committed to
not sell genetically modified
seafood.
More than one million consumers
have sent public comments
to the FDA opposing the
unlabeled introduction of
genetically modified fish. A GM
salmon engineered for faster
growth is currently in its final
stage of review with the agency.
While the Senate Democrats’
budget plan is non-binding,
and reconciliation with
the GOP-lead House version
is unlikely, passage of the
Begich amendment will further
increase the pressure on
the Food and Drug Administration
to require the labeling
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 1 3

GM SALMON • F R O M P A G E 1 3
of GM fish, if approved.
The amendment was cosponsored
by Senators Lisa
Murkowski (R-Alaska), Maria
Cantwell (D-Washington),
Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and
Martin Heinrich (D-New
Mexico). ■
Top grocery
stores: We
won’t sell GM
seafood
Trader Joe’s, Aldi, H-E-B,
Whole Foods, Marsh
among stores that will
reject GM fish
Acoalition of consumer,
health, food safety and
fishing groups recently
launched the “Campaign
for Genetically Engineered-
Free Seafood” by announcing
that several major grocery
retailers representing more
than 2,300 stores across the
United States have already
committed not to sell genetically
modified seafood if it is
allowed onto the market.
The growing market rejection
of GM fish comes as the
FDA conducts its final review of
a genetically modified salmon. If
approved, the salmon would be
the first-ever GM animal
allowed to enter the human
food supply.
Stores that have committed
to not offer the salmon or other
genetically modified seafood
include the national retailers
Trader Joe’s (367 stores), Aldi
(1,230 stores), Whole Foods
(325 stores in US); regional
chains such as H-E-B (340
stores in Texas and northern
Mexico), Marsh Supermarkets
(93 stores in Indiana and Ohio),
PCC Natural Markets (9 stores
in Washington State); and coops
in Minnesota, New York,
California and Kansas.
“We applaud these retailers
for listening to the vast majority
of their customers who want
sustainable, natural seafood for
their families. Now it’s time for
other food retailers, including
Walmart, Costco and Safeway,
to follow suit and let their customers
know they will not be
selling unlabeled, poorly studied
genetically engineered seafood,”
said Eric Hoffman, food &
technology policy campaigner
with Friends of the Earth.
“Consumers Union has serious
concerns about the safety of
the first genetically engineered
fish,” says Michael Hansen,
PhD, senior scientist with Consumers
Union, the advocacy
arm of Consumer Reports.
The majority of Americans
say they won’t eat GM seafood,
and 91 percent of Americans say
the FDA should not allow it
onto the market.
For more information, visit
www.foe.org/gefreeseafood. ■
1 4 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
NEGATIVE GMO IMPACTS
Study finds Roundup herbicide
more toxic than declared
“Inert” ingredients more toxic than glyphosate but
are ignored in risk assessments
In new research published in the prestigious
scientific journal Toxicology, Robin Mesnage,
Benoît Bernay and Professor Gilles-Eric
Séralini, from the University of Caen, France,
have proven that the most toxic compound in
Roundup herbicide is not glyphosate, which is
the substance most assessed by regulatory
authorities, but a compound that is not always
listed on the label, called POE-15.
Glyphosate is supposed to
be the “active ingredient” in
Roundup, the most widely
used herbicide in the world.
But the commercial formulations
of Roundup and
Roundup-like herbicides contain
added ingredients that are
often classified confidential and
described as “inerts,” which
include POE-15. These ingredients
help help glyphosate
penetrate plants, in the manner
of corrosive detergents.
The study demonstrated
that the inert ingredients in
Roundup and glyphosate-
based herbicides are more toxic
than glyphosate alone.
The researchers recommend
that all authorizations of
Roundup-type herbicides be
urgently revised based on this
new information. ■
Monarch butterfly
decline
tied to GM
corn and soy
In the US Corn Belt, breeding
ground for the monarch
butterfly, the 120 million
acres of genetically modified
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T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 1 5

NEGATIVE GMO IMPACTS • F R O M P A G E 1 4
corn and soy plants may be
decimating the insect’s population,
says a new study from
University of Minnesota and
Iowa State University.
Milkweed, the primary
food and the host plant for
the monarch’s eggs and
caterpillars, is being wiped
out by the herbicide
glyphosate (present in Monsanto’s
Roundup) liberally
sprayed on the crops.
The findings from
researchers John Pleasants
and Karen Oberhauser were
published online in Insect
Conservation and Diversity.
Between 1999 and 2010,
as GM crops were widely
1 6 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
embraced, monarch eggs
declined by 81% in the Midwest.
Milkweed density
dropped by an estimated
58%, mostly on farm fields.
Chip Taylor, insect ecologist
at the University of
Kansas and research director
of Monarch Watch, said the
study is “quite extraordinary,”
linking the loss of
habitat to a declining population.
(SOURCES: Los Angeles Times;
Minneapolis Star Tribune) ■
Birds, bees,
and aquatic
life threatened
by toxicity of
pesticide
New Report Charges
EPA Ignored Staff Warnings,
Approved Widespread
Use of Dangerous
Pesticides
As part of a study on
impacts from the world’s
most widely used class of
insecticides, nicotine-like
chemicals called neonicotinoids,
American Bird Conservancy
(ABC) has called for a
ban on their use as seed treatments
and for the suspension
of all applications pending an
independent review of the
products’ effects on birds, terrestrial
and aquatic invertebrates,
and other wildlife.
“It is clear that these
chemicals have the potential
to affect entire food chains.
The environmental persistence
of the neonicotinoids,
their propensity for runoff
and for groundwater infiltration,
and their cumulative and
largely irreversible mode of
action in invertebrates raise
significant environmental
concerns,” said Cynthia
Palmer, co-author of the
report and Pesticides Program
Manager for ABC, one
of the nation’s leading bird
conservation organizations.
ABC commissioned world
renowned environmental toxicologist
Dr. Pierre Mineau to
conduct the research. The
100-page report, “The Impact
of the Nation’s Most Widely
Used Insecticides on Birds,”
reviews 200 studies on neonicotinoids
including industry
research obtained through the
US Freedom of Information
Act. The assessment concludes
that the neonicotinoids
are lethal to birds and to the
aquatic systems on which they
depend.
Several published studies
have already shown that
neonicotinoids are toxic to
bees. ■
Unintended
consequences
seen in GM
cotton
Genetically modified Bt
cotton plants contain a
poison that protects them
from pests such as bollworm.
However, an unintended
consequence of this is that
these plants rely less on their
own defense system. This
benefits other pests, such as
aphids, which can proliferate
in GM cotton fields. These
insights stem from a study
supported by the Swiss
National Science Foundation
(SNSF).
GM cotton is cultivated
on over 80% of all cotton
fields around the world. The
plant contains a gene of
Bacillus thuringiensis to produce
a poison whose effects
are fatal to the principal cotton
pests—voracious caterpillars.
However, certain
types of bugs and other pests
begin to spread across cotton
fields instead, as is the case in
China. ■

NON-GMO NEWS
GMO-Free groups holding Earth
Day events
State GMO-free groups are holding events to
celebrate this year’s Earth Day on April 22.
In New Jersey, GMO-Free NJ celebrates its
one-year anniversary after being founded on
Earth Day 2012.
“My co-founder, Kathleen
McKenna, and I started out
with a little table at our town’s
Green Festival handing out
shopping guides and handmade
bookmarks made of seedimbedded
paper that could be
planted,” says Barbara
Thomas, of GMO-Free NJ,
based in Collingswood, NJ.
This year, GMO-Free NJ
will hold eight events around
Earth Day to raise awareness
about the risks of genetically
engineered foods and to
increase support for a GM food
labeling bill in New Jersey.
Events include screenings
of Jeffrey Smith’s film, Genetic
Roulette, which focuses on
the health dangers of GMOs.
Smith will also visit to con-
GMO-free events will be part of this year's
Earth Day
duct an activist training session.
GMO-Free NJ will also
unveil a new music video to
raise awareness about
GMOs, particularly GM
salmon.
In addition, GMO-Free
NJ will join with GMO-Free
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 1 7

1 8 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
NON-GMO NEWS • F R O M P A G E 1 7
PA to have a booth at the
Philly Farm and Food Fest
on April 14 at the Philadelphia
Convention Center.
GMO-Free PA will also
hold events at Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital
and Seiman’s Health Care in
Philadelphia and some
Philadelphia-area colleges.
A bill to label GM foods
was recently introduced into
Pennsylvania’s legislature.
Traveling west, Right to
Know Minnesota will hold
an Earth Day event that
includes a screening of the
film, Bitter Seeds, which
focuses on the tragedy of
farmer suicides in India and
their connection to GM cotton.
Minnesota is one of about
26 states that have introduced
a GM food labeling
bill.
Farther west, Label-
GMOs, the group that
launched Proposition 37 to
label GMOs in California,
will participate in a variety of
events. They will have a
booth at the Earth Day Fair
in San Diego’s Balboa Park
on April 21. They will participate
in the San Diego
Healthy Living Festival on
April 13 and 14 and the San
Diego Earth Day Festival on
April 13. Pamm Larry, Initial
Instigator of Prop 37, will
speak at the San Francisco
Earth Day event on April 20.
GMO Free USA and various
state GMO-Free groups
are participating in a nationwide
“Honk-n-Wave” Earth
Day event to raise awareness
about GMOs in Kellogg’s
products and to ask the cereal
giant to be non-GMO.
More information about
these events is available at
www.gmofreenj.com,
www.gmofreepa.org,
www.rightoknowmn.org,
www.labelgmos.org, and
www.gmofreeusa.org. ■
Label on beer bottle
features "No Genetic
Engineering" logo
German brewer
is first to
offer non-
GMO beer
Oettinger Brauerei GmbH,
one of the largest beer
producers in Germany, has
become the first brewer to
promote its products as “Ohne
Genetechnik” (No Genetic
Engineering).
In a statement, Oettinger
said it decided to go non-
GMO because of its commitment
to product quality, transparency
of ingredients and the
sustainable use of resources,
which German consumers
increasingly demand.
The company’s beer bottles
now display the green and
white Ohne Genetechnik seal.
For more information, visit
www.oettinger-bier.de. ■
Certified non-
GMO soy from
Brazil expected
to increase
this year
The amount of non-GMO
certified soy from Brazil is
expected to increase this
year, according to a report
by non-GMO certification
firm Cert ID.

Approximately 20-25% of
Brazilian soybean production is
free from genetic modification
for the 2012-2013 crop. China’s
and India’s soy production is
100% non-GMO.
Cert ID certified about 4.2
million metric tons (MMT) of
Brazilian non-GMO soy in
2012. Volumes of certified non-
GMO soy from Brazil are
expected to increase to more
than 5.8 MMT this year.
“Estimates for 2013 are
strongly up compared to earlier
years due to the adoption of
Cert ID and ProTerra programs
by new operators in Brazil as
well as increased demand from
Europe,” says Augusto Freire,
managing director of Cert ID
Certificadora, Ltda.
In addition, Freire says there
are large quantities of identity
preserved, non-GMO soy available
from Brazil that could also
be certified.
“Brazil continues to be the
leading country in non-GMO
soy production and is capable of
satisfying any demand for non-
GMO soy products from
Europe,” Freire says. ■
Lake ChamplainChocolates
commits
to non-GMO
ingredients
On the cusp of its 30th
anniversary, Lake Champlain
Chocolates (LCC)
is increasing transparency
regarding ingredient source
and production methods
while continuing to delight
consumers with luxurious
gourmet chocolates.
LCC is pursuing non-
GMO certification through
the Non-GMO Project. LCC
has never allowed dairy with
rBGH in its products, and has
focused new product development
efforts on organic, non-
GMO sourcing. ■
Companies
receive Non-
GMO Project
verification
The following companies
recently had their products
verified through the Non-
GMO Project.
• Boulder Canyon Natural
Foods, a leading manufacturer
of kettle-cooked potato
chips. Non-GMO verified
products include Totally
Natural, Totally Natural
Canyon Cut, Olive Oil,
40% Reduced Fat, 60%
Reduced Sodium, Sea Salt
& Cracked Pepper and
Hickory Barbeque.
• Endangered Species
Chocolate’s (ESC) natural
dark chocolate line is now
Non-GMO Project Verified
and contains cocoa from
Rainforest Alliance Certified
farms. ESC’s organic
dark chocolate line has
already been Non-GMO
Project verified.
• Nutralliance, a leader in the
natural vitamin E market,
recently had its SunE900
natural vitamin E verified
through the Non-GMO
Project. Nutralliance offers
three product lines with
both soy- and sunflowersourced
natural vitamin E.
• Upfront Foods ® has added
two new flavors of its single
serving, grab-and-go granola.
The flavors are
Kosher certified, have Non-
GMO Project Verification,
and are certified 100%
whole grain cereals by the
Whole Grains Council. ■
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 1 9

STATE GMO LABELING INITIATIVES
About half of US states have introduced bills to label GMOs.
Washington State labeling supporters raising funds,
hire PR firm
Supporters of Initiative 522 to label GM foods in Washington State
recently said they have already raised $2.7 million for the initiative,
which is about one-third of their fundraising goal.
The group has also hired
Moxie Media, a public relations
firm whose campaign helped
approve the same-sex marriage
referendum in Washington.
Hearings on I-522 were
held at both the House and
Senate of Washington’s legislature.
I-522 will appear on the
state ballot this November. ■
Vermont moves
closer to GM
labeling law
Vermont’s House Agriculture
Committee voted 8
to 3 in favor of bill
H.112, which was intro-
duced by Rep. Kate Webb
and has tri-partisan support,
including 50 co-sponsors,
and the support of the House
Ag Committee Chair, Carolyn
Partridge. The Senate
bill was introduced by Sen.
David Zuckerman, with 11
co-sponsors, together representing
support from onethird
of the combined legislators.
The bill must now pass
the House Judiciary Committee.
Vermont Governor Pete
Schuman has expressed
reservations about the bill,
fearing a legal challenge from
the biotechnology industry. ■
2 0 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
Photo courtesy of Right to Know GMO
Hawaii GM
labeling bill
tabled in Senate
Hawaii’s GM food labeling
bill, HB 174 did not pass
the state’s Senate. The
Hawaii Senate Committees
on Agriculture, Consumer
Protection and Health
agreed Thursday to table the
bill.
Sen. Josh Green, chairman
of the Senate Health Committee,
supports labeling
genetically modified food.
He told The Associated Press
after a hearing on the bill
that even though the law
won’t pass this year, it will
happen in the future.
(SOURCE: Associated Press) ■
Maine pushes
to be first
with GM labeling
law
Legislators and community
leaders in Maine have quietly
been building
unprecedented support for
a Right to Know GM labeling
law—hoping to be the first
state in the nation to achieve
such legislation.
The bill, LD 718, was
introduced by the bipartisan
team of Rep. Lance Harvell
and Sen. Chris Johnson. It has
tri-partisan support, among
Republicans, Democrats, and
Independents, with 123 cosponsors.
■
Pennsylvania
coalition
backs GM
food labeling
bill
Abroad coalition of consumer,
environmental,
labor, farming, faith and
business organizations
recently announced the
launch of a statewide campaign
to pass legislation
requiring the labeling of
genetically modified foods in
Pennsylvania. The coalition
was joined by State Senator
Daylin Leach, co-sponsor of
a GM labeling bill, Senate
Bill 653, which was introduced
in the legislature in
March with bipartisan support.
“I’ve introduced this bill
not to ban genetically engineered
foods, but to allow
consumers to take control of
which items they purchase,”
Sen. Leach said. ■

GM labeling
bills enter the
Minnesota
Legislature
Labeling supporters in
Minnesota recently introduced
two bills in the
House and Senate of the
state legislature.
Rep. Karen Clark introduced
a bill in the House
while Sen. John Marty
entered the bill in the Senate.
(SOURCES: Star Tribune; The
Associated Press) ■
Coalition
pushes GM
labeling bill in
New Jersey
Abipartisan New Jersey
GMO labeling bills, S-
1367 and A-3192, are
sponsored by Sen.
Robert W. Singer (R-Monmouth
and Ocean) and
Assemblywoman Linda Stender
(D-Middlesex, Somerset
and Union).
“Every journey starts out
slow,” Singer said. “This is a
journey that is going to take
some time. We have to get it
right, but this is a legitimate
concern.”
(SOURCES: NewsWorks, NJ
Spotlight) ■
GM labeling
issue heats up
in Connecticut
Supporters of labeling
genetically modified foods
flocked to a hearing at
Connecticut’s Capitol
recently. Among those testifying
before the Public Health
Committee was Jerry Greenfield,
co-founder of Ben &
Jerry’s Ice Cream.
Bipartisan sponsored House
Bill 6519 is expected to pass
committee but have a harder
time making it to the floor.
A Concord Monitor editorial
supported the labeling bill so
lawmakers can then tackle the
more serious issues surrounding
GMOs, such as the threat
to genetic diversity.
(SOURCES: WTNH-News 8;
Concord Monitor; The Hartford
Courant) ■
New Hampshirecommittee
to scrutinize
labeling
bill
Pressured by Right to
Know groups and wary
consumers, New Hampshire’s
House Agriculture
Committee has committed to
careful vetting of a labeling
bill for GMOs this summer,
to provide the full House
with a recommendation by
this fall.
“The more research I do,
the more concerns I have about
GMOs,” said Rep. Maureen
Mann, a co-sponsor of the
measure, House Bill 660.
(SOURCE: Concord Monitor) ■
Florida joins
GM labeling
fight
Nearly 8,000 Floridians have
signed a petition supporting
labeling of genetically
modified foods, and bills
are being introduced in the
House and Senate.
Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel
Vasilinda will introduce the
House bill to label all GM agricultural
commodities and
processed foods containing
GM ingredients sold in Florida
markets.
The Senate bill will be
sponsored by Sen. Maria Sachs
and Sen. Dwight Bullard.
(SOURCE: Palm Beach Post) ■
Oregon lawmakerintroduces
bills to
label GM
foods, fish
Oregon lawmakers are considering
at least eight bills
on genetically modified
food labeling, fish, and
crops. Several bills would
require labeling of GM foods.
“I think consumers have a
right to know and make their
own decisions about these
foods,” said Rep. Paul Holvey,
D-Eugene, who is sponsoring
several of the bills on genetically
modified labeling and fish.
(SOURCE: The Oregonian) ■
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 2 1

INTERVIEW
John Roulac: We want to create a
non-GMO world
B Y K E N R O S E B O R O
John W. Roulac is the founder and CEO of
Nutiva ® , the world’s leading brand of
organic hemp foods and coconut oil. Nutiva
was named one of Inc 500/5000’s fastestgrowing
companies in America in 2009, 2010,
2011, and 2012. A longtime advocate for
holistic living, he is the author of four books
on hemp and composting (with over a million
copies sold). He helped jump-start the modern
home-composting movement in the early
1990s, successfully sued the US Drug
Enforcement Agency to keep hemp foods
legal in 2001, and has founded three nonprofit
ecological groups.
Roulac is co-chair of GMO
Inside, a new initiative to raise
awareness about the presence
of GMOs in food products.
Ken Roseboro recently
interviewed Roulac about
GMO Inside.
Tell me about GMO Inside.
John Roulac: In the summer
of 2012 I saw that Prop 37 was
probably going to lose, and I
thought about what we should
do after the vote. I wanted to
channel the energy from Prop
37 into expressing the desire to
have a non-GMO world.
GMO Inside is about raising
consumer awareness through
social media with Facebook
being a big focus. We are asking
big food companies: When
will you take the GMOs out of
your products?
These companies are at a
crossroads now. Are they going
to listen to their customers and
be transparent in their supply
chain?
So we are encouraging people
to post messages on their
Facebook walls about their use
of GMOs and to call the companies’
toll-free numbers.
2 2 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
John Roulac, co-chair of GMO Inside
We also have “GMO
Inside” stickers that people can
put on products to call out
these GMO brands.
What is its purpose?
John: Our mission is to create
a non-GMO world. It’s a lot
about education. And also to
call out companies that are
doing it right. If Cheerios has
GMOs, Nature’s Path has non-
GMO alternatives.
What campaigns have you
done so far?
John: In January there was the
“Fresh Start Non-GMO
Breakfast” that targeted big
cereal companies.
Cheerios is about the
biggest food brand in the
world, and the first solid food
that millions of kids eat. But
mothers are feeding their kids
the first solid food with GMO
corn and pesticides in all its
cells. Since our campaign started,
we have generated about
20,000 anti-GMO posts on
Cheerios Facebook wall.
In February we did the
“Break Up With GMOs”
around Valentine’s Day that
targeted Mars, Hershey’s, and
other chocolate manufacturers.
For example, in just one hour
there were 30 comments on
Godiva’s Facebook page.
The March campaign
focused on Girl Scout cookies.
Do we want little girls selling
Monsanto GMO cookies? Is
that a good healthy thing to
teach our youth about standing
behind a quality product?
We will have a 4th of July
campaign around GMOs and
parades. There is a group,
Moms American March to
label GMOs, which is organizing
a march on the 4th of July.
So far we have 37,000 likes
on our Facebook page, and we
think we can get to 50,000 by
this summer.
What has been the response to
GMO Inside so far?
John: It’s been great. One top
executive from one of the
biggest natural food companies
in the world said he thought
GMO Inside was a “GMO
slayer.”
We have been getting good
coverage from the media also.
To participate in GMO
Inside’s campaigns, visit
www.gmoinside.org or visit
their Facebook page,
www.facebook.com/GmoInside.
■

ORGANIC & SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Indian farmers reap record
amounts of rice—sustainably
It’s a “miracle” story coming from the
Darveshpura village in India’s poorest state,
Bihar—22.4 tons of rice grown on one
hectare of land, with manure and without herbicides,
setting a new world record.
Sumant Kumar’s harvest
beat out China’s 19.4 tons and
yields produced by the International
Rice Research Institute
and the largest European
and American seed markets.
Other farmers in Kumar’s village
doubled their rice yields
as well.
The secret to the large
yields is the cultivation
method known as System of
Root Intensification (SRI),
developed by French priest
Henri de Laulanie and spread
by Professor Norman Uphoff
of Cornell University. SRI
involves transplanting very
young plants, spacing them
one by one in a grid, keeping
the soil dry, and weeding to
allow air to reach the roots.
With resources becoming
more scarce, soil quality
declining, and climates chang-
ing, this system promises hope
for many small farmers—with
no chemicals, patents or
licensing fees. And promise
also for anticipated food shortages.
“This is revolutionary,” said
Dr. Surendra Chaurassa of
Bihar’s agriculture ministry. “I
. . . want every state to promote
it.”
(SOURCE: Observer Food
Monthly) ■
Organic tomatoes
more
nutritious than
conventional,
study finds
In a recent study done in
Brazil, organically grown
tomatoes showed higher
levels of vitamin C, natural
Photo courtesy of Lotus Foods.
Indian farmer plants rice using the System of
Rice Intensification
sugars, phenolics, and other
antioxidants than ones
grown conventionally.
The study was published
in the open-access journal
PLOS One.
An earlier 2007 study had
found nearly twice the level
of antioxidants quercetin
and kaempferol in organic
tomatoes.
The organic and conventional
tomatoes were grown
less than a mile away from
each other. The organic
ones were 40% smaller, but
contained 55% more vita-
min C and about 140%
more plant phenols, compounds
associated with
decreased heart disease, cancer,
and diabetes.
The authors theorize that
the biological stress brought
on by insects and diseases in
the organic crops, an oxidative
stress imposed by
organic farming, may stimulate
enhanced nutrient production
to minimize cell
damage. This goes against
the traditional focus on yield
and size.
(SOURCE: MinnPost) ■
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 2 3

ORGANIC & SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE • F R O M P A G E 2 3
Organic rice growing in Texas
Organic rice
research
receives $1
million in
grants
Organic rice studies have
moved to the front burner
with almost $1 million
in federal grants to Texas
A&M AgriLife Research scientists.
Two studies, led by Dr.
Fugen Dou of Beaumont—
and a team from College Station,
Corpus Christi,
Arkansas, Alabama and South
Carolina—will look at yielding
more high quality organic
rice in an environmentally
friendly way. The research
projects are funded by the US
Department of Agriculture.
Currently some 50,000
acres of organic rice are
grown annually in the U.S.,
the researchers noted, and
demand has continued to
increase.
“Although conventional
rice production has
decreased in Texas by about
36 percent in the last 15
years,” Dou said, “the state
now has about 15,000 acres
of organic rice and is revital-
izing the rice industry.”
The biggest of two grants
will be an almost $727,000
study to look at reducing
greenhouse gas emission on
organic rice farms. ■
Farmers Advocating
for
Organics plans
for $1 million
in grant
awards
Farmers Advocating for
Organics (FAFO) — the
only farmer-funded and
governed granting program
in the nation—recently
announced a plan to distribute
$1,060,709 in grant
awards for organic education,
advocacy and research.
The fund was founded by
CROPP Cooperative (more
commonly known by its
brands Organic Valley and
Organic Prairie) in 2007 and
has already invested more
than $2.1 million in efforts
to ensure the survival of
organic agriculture.
“Every dollar in the FAFO
program has come voluntarily
out of an organic farmer’s
2 4 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
pocket specifically to protect
and promote the future of
organic,” said George
Siemon, CEIEO of CROPP
Cooperative. “FAFO
empowers organic farmers to
work together to support
strong rural communities,
profitable family farms and a
stable marketplace—all of
which will benefit farmers
and consumers alike.”
In 2012, FAFO’s annual
grants totaled $298,209 and
targeted projects in GMO
labeling ($100,000), seed
diversity ($30,000), organic
agricultural systems research
($75,000), young farmer
development ($25,000), and
pesticides and children’s
health ($20,000), among others.
■
USDA’s sustainable
food
advocate
steps down
The US Department of
Agriculture’s Deputy Secretary
Kathleen Merrigan
recently resigned from her
position effective at the end
of April. No reason was given
for her departure.
calendar
Green Festival.
April 21-22. New York, NY.
www.greenfestivals.org.
Merrigan has been a leader
of the organic and local food
movement since the late
1980s, when she helped Senator
Patrick Leahy write the
Organic Foods Production
Act that led to the creation of
the National Organic Program.
Her appointment as
deputy agriculture secretary
in 2009 was hailed by organic
and sustainable food advocates.
In her tenure at USDA,
Merrigan championed the
“Know Your Farmer, Know
Your Food” program to support
local and regional food
system.
In a statement, Mauren
Wilmont, executive director
of the Organic Farming
Research Foundation, said:
“Whether fighting to enforce
quality organic standards,
increase direct marketing
opportunities or preventing
unlawful and unwanted
genetic contamination, Dr.
Merrigan has been a clear and
consistent voice supporting
farmers. OFRF thanks her for
serving on our board of directors
and for all her efforts on
behalf of organic farmers.” ■
Baker Creek Heirloom Spring
Planting Festival.
May 5-6. Mansfield, MO.
www.rareseeds.com.
ProTerra Conference.
May 14. Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
www.proterrafoundation.com.
Green Festival.
May 18-19. Chicago, IL.
www.greenfestivals.org.

FARMER PROFILE
Young farmers: Sprouting the
future of organic farming
Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds, located near
Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, has grown and
sold organic, non-GMO seeds for fresh
sprouts and microgreens for over 30 years. But
it’s cultivating more than seeds—the family
business, owned and operated by Jim and Maggie
Mumm and their daughter Lisa, is a handson
training ground for a bright, enthusiastic
young grower who represents the upcoming
generation of organic farmers.
Lisa, 28, returned home in
2009 after a brief stint at McGill
Law School, ready to pursue her
passion for organic agriculture
and healthy nutrition. She grew
up on the farm, along with
assorted animals, bees, 200
sheep, and freshly grown organic
foods. After earning a BA in
International Studies at the
University of Saskatchewan, she
was attending law school when
she realized her heart was elsewhere.
“My classmates and I started
talking about organic farming,
and they noticed how I lit up—I
realized then it was time to
return to the farm,” said Lisa.
Turning a hobby into
something more
Jim and Maggie began growing
alfalfa seed in their organic garden
back in the 1970s. “It was
barely an industry, more like a
hobby, pursued by the counterculture
in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” Jim
said.
In 1982, they began a small
business, growing and selling
organic alfalfa and radish seeds
for sprouting. In the mid-1990s,
they hired their first helpers and
Jim and Maggie Mumm, founders of Mumm's
Sprouting Seeds
Lisa Mumm working on her family farm
acquired a warehouse in Parkside
to complement the 500acre
farm in Shellbrook.
Mumm’s sells 40 to 60 types
of seed; about 40 nearby organic
farmers supply 85% of that
seed. Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds
can be found in organic and natural
food stores across North
America.
Sprouts, rich in amino acids,
vitamins, and minerals, add “living
nutrition” to the diet.
Mumm’s biggest seller is alfalfa.
Another popular product is
broccoli sprouts—their high
levels of sulforaphane, a cellular
detoxifier, which may play a role
in cancer prevention, draws
health-conscious consumers.
“The levels of sulforaphane
are generally 20 to 50 times
higher in the broccoli sprout
than in the plant,” Lisa said.
Stopping GM alfalfa
To avoid GMOs, Mumm’s
Sprouting Seeds relies on the
integrity of the organic system.
“GMOs are a very great concern
for us, especially with the
deregulation of genetically
modified alfalfa,” Lisa said.
“Two aspects have us concerned:
1) Contamination of
our main product from GM
alfalfa; and 2) The impact on
the organic farming community—we
need to continue supplying
non-GMO seedstock.”
GM alfalfa, deregulated in
the US in 2011, was approved in
Canada for many years but was
stalled after it met a backlash
from farmers. Now, Forage
Genetics has applied for variety
registration and hopes to begin
planting GM alfalfa in Ontario
this spring.
The Canadian Biotechnology
Action Network (CBAN) is
holding a Day of Action on
April 9 to Stop GM Alfalfa.
“The biotech industry speaks
of ‘co-existence’ but that is a
strange place to begin a conversation,
since it doesn’t work,”
Lisa said.
GM canola, much of which
is grown in Canada, is also a
problem.
“Many organic farmers,
including us, don’t even grow
canola because the risk of contamination
is too great,” Lisa
said. GM wheat is also a potential
future threat.
Lisa recently participated in a
rally and attended the hearing
for the case Organic Seeds Growers
and Trade Assocation (OSGA-
TA) v. Monsanto, in New York
City. OSGATA is seeking preemptive
court protection against
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T • 2 5

FARMER PROFILE • F R O M P A G E 2 5
contamination from Monsanto’s
genetically modified seed; currently
organic or conventional
farmers can be sued by Monsanto
for patent infringement if
their crops are contaminated by
GM seed.
“Originally the judge dismissed
our case, saying our
farmers were not at risk,” said
Lisa. “We appealed, and this
January the case returned to the
LEGAL BATTLES
Beekeepers and public interest
groups sue EPA over bee-toxic
pesticides
Lawsuit seeks to address bee Colony Collapse Disorder
and demands EPA protect livelihoods, rural
economies and environment
One year after groups formally petitioned the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), four beekeepers and five environmental
and consumer groups filed a lawsuit in
Federal District Court against the agency for
its failure to protect pollinators from dangerous
pesticides called neonicotinoids. The coalition,
represented by attorneys for the Center for
Food Safety (CFS), seeks suspension of the
registrations of insecticides that have repeatedly
been identified as highly toxic to honeybees,
clear causes of major bee kills and significant
contributors to the devastating ongoing mortality
of bees known as colony collapse disorder
(CCD). The suit challenges EPA’s ongoing
handling of the pesticides as well as the
agency’s practice of “conditional registration”
and labeling deficiencies.
“America’s beekeepers cannot
survive for long with the
toxic environment EPA has
Court of Appeals—we’re still
awaiting the verdict.
“Our first concern is GMOs.
The biggest challenge faced by
the organic farming community
is that we’re currently operating
in a climate of fear: we test our
crops and create buffer zones
for fear our neighbor’s patented
crops will contaminate our own,
we stop growing certain crops
altogether for fear of contami-
supported. Bee-toxic pesticides
in dozens of widely used products,
on top of many other
2 6 • T H E O R G A N I C & N O N - G M O R E P O R T
nation and litigation. This will
change and it is changing. The
organic community is comprised
of some of the bravest
individuals I know. We are
refusing to farm in fear.”
Future of Organics
Lisa was a panelist recently at
the Guelph Organic Conference
and Expo, speaking as one
of the young farmers on the
stresses our industry faces, are
killing our bees and threatening
our livelihoods,” said plaintiff
Steve Ellis, a Minnesota and
California beekeeper. “Our
country depends on bees for
crop pollination and honey
production. It’s time for EPA
to recognize the value of bees
to our food system and agricultural
economy.” ■
Supreme
Court appears
to favor Monsanto
in
patent case
The US Supreme Court
began hearing arguments in
February in the case Bowman
v. Monsanto. The seed
greening of agriculture and the
future of organic farming.
“It’s an exciting time for
growth in the organic movement,”
Lisa said. “I’ve never
seen this level of support
before in my lifetime, all over
the world. From Canada to
Peru to India, farmers are
telling their stories, and that
gives us a lot of positive energy
to move forward.” ■
giant sued an Indiana farmer,
Vernon Hugh Bowman, for
using and selling second generation
genetically modified soybean
seed.
The ruling, expected in July,
has significance for any patents
held on self-replicating products,
such as live vaccines, software,
bacterial strains, and cell
lines.
The justices seemed in favor
of Monsanto throughout the
session.
Mr. Bowman had bought
Monsanto’s Roundup Ready
soybean seeds for his original
crop, but tried a different
approach for his second, later
planting: he purchased seeds
from a grain elevator containing
a mix of seeds, hoping
many of them were Roundup
Ready. He planted them, and
then saved seeds from those
plants for future sowing.
Bowman argued that due to
“patent exhaustion,” Monsanto’s
patent rights expired after
he had bought the original
seeds.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor
disagreed: “The exhaustion
doctrine permits you to use the
good that you buy,” she said.
“It never permits you to make
another item from that item
you bought.”
(SOURCES: The New York Times;
Bloomberg; Legal Newsline) ■

COMPANY NEWS /ANNOUNCEMENTS
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
celebrates 40th anniversary
For 40 years Johnny’s Selected Seeds has
been dedicated to helping families, friends,
and communities to feed one another by
providing quality seeds, tools, information,
and service. Founder and Chairman, Rob
Johnston Jr., proudly states, “We will continue
to work, today and into the future, as a community
with you, your family, and your customers
and friends.”
Today, Johnny’s has grown
from a fledgling business in a
farmhouse attic to a national
and international multichannel
retailer who employs over 130
full-time and more than 50
seasonal employees. The company
now regularly ships seed
Rob Johnston Jr.,
founder of Johnny’s
Selected Seeds
to commercial growers and
home gardeners across the
United States and regularly
supplies seed to over 50 countries
around the world. ■
Mary Kay
Krogull joins
Eurofins as
president of
the US Food
Division
Eurofins Scientific is pleased
to announce the hiring of
Mary Kay Krogull as President
of the US Food Division.
Ms. Krogull will lead the
strategic development and scientific
oversight of the North
American Eurofins Food Testing
Operations. ■

THE ORGANIC & NON-GMO REPORT
PO Box 436, Fairfield, IA 52556
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