United Natural Foods CEO: ‘GE contamination is a real threat’
Posted by Susan Ponsolle on 02-21-07
Dozens of California businesses
and organizations including some of the nation’s top organic and sustainable
food companies Wednesday launched the Genetic Engineering Policy Alliance to
push for laws protecting the state's agriculture from the threat of genetic
engineering (GE).
GEPA members such as Whole Foods Markets, United Natural Foods, Inc. and Bon Appétit Management Company, released the group’s platform calling for state policies to minimize the danger of contamination and compensate farmers who are harmed.
"GE contamination is a real threat to the integrity of our food
supply," said Michael Funk, chief executive officer of United Natural
Foods , the nation’s largest natural and organic foods distributor. "Once
contamination occurs, there's no turning back. [GEPA] is an important force for
change that will push for policies to protect public health, farmers, and the
food industry."
Specifically, the group is demanding public notice of all plantings of GE crops in California, labeling of all food that contains GE ingredients, liability protection for farmers whose crops are unintentionally contaminated, and a ban on the planting of industrial and pharmaceutical crops.
Write a comment