Monsanto and a Plea

I'm sure that recently I've annoyed the crap out of quite a few friends by spamming social network feeds with news about The Monsanto Protection Act being signed into law under the House Agricultural Appropriations Bill.  There are so many things I wish we could have had the chance to do, but it was done so quietly, amidst the fervor of the Supreme Court discussions of Equal Rights for people of the LGBT community, that not enough people were aware in time to stop it.

I am dismayed.  As I'm growing spiritually, mentally, and physically, taking better control over what goes into the bodies of my family, becoming more aware of our impact on the environment and the creatures that use it along with us, I am finding myself more and more frustrated with the state of our nation's food system (education system, political system... those are a completely different post). 

BUT, now is not the time to sit back and lament.  The phrase "Vote with your wallet" has never been more relevant.  What you buy MATTERS.  Every time you buy a product that has been Genetically Modified, or sprayed with commercial chemicals, you're essentially saying that "This is OK.  This is something I am comfortable giving to my family/putting into my body."

IT IS NOT OKAY.  And we need to make our voices heard.  I've included two lists: the first includes the companies that use Monsanto products (alphabetized from the graphic below).  The second is a list of seed companies that use GM or Monsanto seeds.  Copy and print these lists to take with you when you go shopping.  It will take some work and adjusting, but it's better than the alternative!

Additionally, it is time to speak up.  If you care, take the time to contact your local representative.  Sign a petition for GMO labeling.  Share this information with anyone you can.  Now that Monsanto is above judicial reproach our only defense is the knowledge we use and pass on to keep each other safe. 

Without further ado:

Companies that use Monsanto/GM products:

Aunt Jemima

Aurora Foods

Banquet

Best Foods

Betty Crocker

Bisquick

Cadbury/Shweppes

Campbells

Capri-Sun

Carnation

Chef Boyardee

Coca Cola

ConAgra

Delicious Brand Cookies

Duncan Hines

Famous Amos

Frito-Lay/Pepsi

General Mills

Green Giant

Healthy Choice

Heinz

Hellmans

Hershey's Nestle

Holsum

Hormel

Hungry Jack

Hunts

Interstate Bakeries

Jiffy

KC Masterpiece

Keebler/Flowers Industries

Kelloggs

Kid Cuisine

Knorr

Kool-Aid

Kraft/Phillip Morris

Lean Cuisine

Lipton

Lowa Linda

Marie Callenders

Minute Made

Morningstar

Ms. Butterworths

Nabisco

Nature Valley

Ocean Spray

Ore-Ida

Orville Redenbacher

Peppridge Farms

Pepsi

Pillsbury

Pop Secret

Post Cereals

Power Bar Brand

Prego Pasta Sauce

Pringles

Procter and Gamble

Quaker

Ragu Sauce

Rice-a-Roni/Pasta Roni

Smart Ones

Stouffers

Tombstone Pizza

Totinos

Uncle Bens

Unilever

V-8

Monsanto/GM seeds  (copied from HERE):
**some companies with Safe Seed pledges are on the list, because, though their seeds are non-GMO, they are supplied by GMO profiting companies.
 
American Meadows
Anderson’s Seed & Garden, Inc
Audubon Workshop
Ball Horticultural Company
Breck’s Bulbs
Bunton Seed
Burpee
Cook’s Garden
Corona Seeds
DeBruyn Seed Company, Inc.
Dege Garden Center
Dixondale Farms/The Onion Patch
Earl May Seed
Early’s Farm & Garden Centre
E & R Seed Co
El Seed
Farmer Seed & Nursery
Flower of the Month Club
Ferry Morse Fukuda Seed Store
Gardens Alive
Germania Seed Co
Garden Trends, Inc.d/b/a Harris Seeds
Germania Seed Company
Grimes Horticulture
H.F. Michell Company
HPS
Jungs
Lindenberg Seeds
McClure and Zimmerman Quality Bulb Brokers
Meyer Seed Co of Baltimore, Inc
Mountain Valley Seed
Ontario Seed
Ornamental Edibles
Osborne
Otis S. Twilley Seed Co., Inc.
Park Seed
Park Bulbs
Park’s Countryside Garden
P. L. Rohrer & Bro., Inc.
Pinetree
R.H. Shumway
Rocky Mountain Seed Co
Roots and Rhizomes
Rupp
Seeds for the World
Seminova
Seymour’s Selected Seeds
Snow
Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
Stokes
Spring Hill Nurseries
Totally Tomato
T&T Seeds
Tomato Growers Supply
The Page Seed Company
The Vermont Bean Seed Company
Tomato Growers Supply Company
Vesey’s Seeds
Vis Seed Company, Inc.
Wayside Gardens
Willhite Seed Co.
William Dam Seeds

Easy Peasy Gluten Free Lunch: 6-Toothed Toddler Approved!

Peeled, shredded zucchini in scrambled eggs, served with organic ketchup and avocado on a corn tortilla.

 

Notice how the tortilla ended up, veritably untouched, on the table?

This one demanded seconds.  His tortilla also ended up being cast aside.

I happened to like my eggs wrapped up nicely in the tortilla.  And they never noticed the zucchini.

Experiment! A pledge to my children.

For a long time we've I've struggled with maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Captain doesn't care one way or another, as he doesn't seem to have health issues related to the type and amounts of food he eats.  The kids and I, on the other hand, do have issues.  Gut issues, skin issues, behavioral issues...  Issues that I've been in and out of denial about.  Issues that, because of this first trimester exhaustion, I just haven't been up to the task of facing.

I have to remind myself that these issues only make my days more difficult.  That feeling good is just as important as getting enough rest right now.  That if what I'm eating is making me feel like crap, what is it doing to the little bodies of my children, and the one that's currently incubating?  I'm constantly wondering if my pregnancy nutrition with the first 3 Cabin kids is the baseline for all the issues they have with allergies and digestion now.

So I've come up with a pledge to my children, and my experiment will be to stick with it, for as long as possible, and check in occasionally with how we're all doing and feeling.

What would you add to the pledge?  Will you make it to your family with me?