Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tell Mars and Hershey's to sign the Non-GM Beet Sugar Registry

As a Valentine to Consumers, 73 Companies Pledge Not to Use Sugar from Monsanto's Roundup Ready Sugar Beets - Tell Hershey's and Mars to Sign!

Today the Center for Food Safety, along with environmental and corporate watchdog groups, launched the Non-Genetically Modified (GM) Beet Sugar Registry, documenting commitments from over seventy grocery chains and food producers including Organic Valley not to use or sell GM beet sugar. This call to halt the introduction of GM sugar beets into the food supply comes on the heels of public outcry over mercury contamination of our nation's dominant sweetener - high fructose corn syrup - and on the eve of the year's sweetest holiday - Valentine's Day.

By signing on to the Registry, companies:
* Pledge to not support the introduction of sugar from GM sugar beets;
* Pledge to avoid, wherever possible, using GM beet sugar in their products;
* Pledge to ask the sugar beet industry to not introduce GM beet sugar into our nation's food supply

Companies have rejected GM sugar beets not only because they have not been proven safe but also because the EPA had increased allowable levels of herbicide residues on GM sugar beet roots by up to 5,000 percent when USDA approved the crop for planting. This action was taken at the request of Monsanto, the sole manufacturer of GM Roundup Ready sugar beets. Extracted from the roots of the GM sugar beet plant, this type of sugar will be used in processed food and sold, unlabeled, to consumers beginning this year. The Registry website is a place where people can go to identify and support those companies that choose to publicly renounce the use of GM beet sugar.

In 2001, Hershey's and Mars announced that they would not use GM beet sugar, but both companies have been noticeably silent on the issue ever since. Members like you have sent more than a hundred thousand letters to food companies asking them to publicly refuse to use GM sugar in their products - let's tell Hershey's and M&M Mars to show us the love this year!

Tell Hershey's and Mars to Kiss GM Sugar Goodbye! Send your Valentine to Hershey's and Mars urging the companies to publicly reject the use of GM sugar in their chocolates and other sweets.

To learn more visit truefoodnow.org

To see a list of companies see: www.seedsofdeception.com

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