Community Corner

Group To Protest Genetically Modified Food at Walmart Saturday

Food and Water Watch hopes to convince the retail giant not sell genetically modified sweet corn.

A group concerned about health and environmental issues associated with genetically engineered crops is planning a protest at Saturday afternoon.

The protest, which takes place on the Michigan Avenue sidewalk from 1-3 p.m., is part of a national "day of action" organized by Food and Water Watch. The group hopes to gain public support and convice Walmart not to sell genetically engineered sweet corn produced by Monsanto.

The protest comes just the day after France banned Monsanto's MON810 corn genetically modified so that makes the plant toxic to pests, according to Bloomberg News. The seeds are also engineered to tolerate Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.

Saline resident Kate Wellman is participating in the day of action.

"Whether you shop at Walmart or not, they are the largest US food retailer, and if they won't sell genetically engineered sweet corn, it's likely that farmer's won't plant it this Spring. This genetically engineered sweet corn, if it reaches produce counters, will not be labeled, so you won't know what you're buying," Wellman said "Monsanto's genetically engineered sweet corn has not been tested for human safety, and it contains three different genetically engineered traits that have never before been used in food eaten directly by people."

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Monsanto has argued that since the Food and Drug Administration has found that genetically modified food does not differ from other foods, there is no reason to specially label it.


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