With laboratory-created genetically modified organisms (GMOs) now a significant part of our food supply, health risks associated with consuming them are coming to light, raising concerns among consumers and resulting in the passage of GMO-related laws across the country. But perhaps a more promising trend is that food-related businesses large and small are responding to those concerns and taking a harder look at their use of GMOs.
General Mills recently announced that its original Cheerios will soon be “not made with genetically modified ingredients.” Last year, Whole Foods Market and Chipotle Mexican Grill announced new goals regarding labeling and sourcing non-GMO ingredients. The term GMO is rapidly becoming a household word and, according to Megan Westgate, executive director of the Non-GMO Project, consumer concern about GMOs and demand for non-GMO products has made “Non-GMO Project Verified” one of the most sought-after labels in the natural products industry.
How does this issue affect how business is conducted locally? A walk down the aisles of New Frontiers Natural Marketplace in Prescott reveals non-GMO shelf labels, making products easy for customers to spot. Store manager Philip Morris shared, “We require all fresh produce in our salad bar to be organic and any other items to be non-GMO sourced. Also, all high-risk ingredients, such as corn and soy in our delis, have to be organic. The USDA National Organic Standards prohibit the use of GMOs, so this is an effective safeguard against GMOs.”
Tamara Kastanas, owner of Prescott’s That’s It! Gluten Free Home Bakery, said, “My customers have repeatedly stated that they are very happy to find delicious gluten-free items that are made fresh, locally and are GMO-free.”
Mark Montague, director of food services at Crossroads Cafe in Prescott, agrees. “I am going to make a section on our menu that will highlight GMO-free items,” he said. “I have changed the cooking oil that we use on the grill, and we have promoted our GMO-free items so our customers know.”
On the animal-food side of things, Kim Sheridan, co-owner of Pet Headquarters in Prescott Valley, shared, “People were looking for foods and treats that they could feed without GMOs, so we set out to identify which ones we could verify were GMO-free. We have identified all foods and treats in our store with a little GMO-free tag.”
Mortimer Family Farms in Dewey offers non-GMO sweet corn at its farm stand and has reformulated its animal feed to be non-GMO. Pastured and non-GMO are also important to Tamra Kelly of Kelly Beef, who said, “The GMO issue was addressed in our business due to the health benefits of grass-fed beef providing a healthy alternative to commercially raised beef. Our beef is naturally GMO-free due to our grazing process. Our cattle are not, in any fashion, genetically modified.”
Dr. Caroline O’Sullivan, a holistic veterinarian in Prescott Valley, discovered that eliminating or reducing GMOs in the diets of her patients has consistently resulted in improved digestion, coat, energy and sleep patterns, and has reduced the need for pharmaceutical treatments.
On the non-profit front, Slow Food Prescott, a chapter of Slow Food USA, whose mission is good, clean and fair food, adopted a GMO-Free resolution, calling for all foods at their events to be non-GMO. GMO-Free Prescott, a community organization committed to raising awareness about GMOs, recently released its Chef’s Guide to Genetically Modified Foods.
The GMO issue is multi-faceted and multi-layered. However, with annual sales of Non-GMO Project Verified products in excess of $5 billion in 2013 and national chains and local businesses addressing GMOs, it looks like non-GMO could be the next food megatrend and local business opportunity.
Would you like to learn more about GMOs? Plan to attend either the premier showing of the new documentary film GMO OMG on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, or The Dark Side of GMOs Symposium on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m. in the Yavapai College Library Community Room. For more information, visit www.gmofreeprescottaz.org. QCBN
McKeown is the vice chair of GMO-Free Prescott and can be reached at gmofreeprescott. For more information, visit www.gmofreeprescottaz.org.
By Lesley McKeown
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