Sometimes it seems as though GMOs are a
tidal wave that will eventually wash over and obliterate any vestiges of
organic growing in America. In January, the Obama Administration
surprised and disappointed many supporters of organic food when
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack okayed the
planting of genetically altered alfalfa without restrictions. Little more than a week later, the green light was given to
Monsanto’s GE sugar beets. To some people, it signaled
the beginning of the end for organics in America.

However, the organic industry continues to fight back. In March,

a group of organic farmers and food activists, with the help of the not-for-profit law center
The Public Patent Foundation, turned the tables on
Monsanto. They
sued the agricultural giant, which has a
history of taking farmers to court for
patent infrigement when Monsanto’s GE seeds drift onto the farmers’
lands. The activists hope that their lawsuit will put an end to
Monsanto’s “patent infringement” cases.

Another area where consumers
are starting to make themselves heard is in the area of labeling food
products that contain GMOs.If you believe several polls that have been
taken on this issue, somewhere around 90% of Americans want labels on
GMO food.
The Non-GMO Project
is

North America’s only third party verification and labeling for non-GMO
food and products.(The European Union already requires labels on GE
foods.) And now the
Organic Consumers Association,
is calling attention to

the fact that “the overwhelming majority of non-organic processed foods
currently sold in the U.S. contain unlabeled Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs) derived from GE soybeans, corn, canola, sugar beets,
cottonseed oil, or growth hormones.”

Alexis Baden-Mayer,
Political Director of the OCA,
just made a shopping trip to the Whole Foods Market

at 1550 N. Kingsbury Street in Chicago. On Tuesday, she will dumpher
purchases in front of that store

in an effort to get the nation’s grocers to voluntarily adopt
Truth-in-Labeling practices for non-organic foods sold in their stores.

She is also appearing at

5th annual Chicago Green Festival, which is in its second and final day at McCormick Place.Some highlights include:

• Twelve thematic
Pavilion/Stages areas including the Main Stage, Mother Earth News
Pavilion, Green Business Pavilion, Green Building & Renewable Energy
Pavilion, Fair Trade Pavilion, Green Living Stage, Sustainable Home
& Organic Gardening Pavilion, Green Kids Zone, Community Action
Pavilion, Yoga & Movement, Music Stage and Green Cinema.

• Organic Food Court with Local Restaurants and the Organic Beer & Wine Garden

• Green Festival’s Café and Store