At the Hamilton Farmers Market Co-op’s annual meeting last fall, members approved allowing only produce grown from non-genetically modified (non-GMO) seeds. The new rule will be in effect for the upcoming season.
A genetically modified seed or animal is an organism changed by the human insertion of laboratory engineered DNA. There is growing evidence that genetically modified produce is poisonous to other plants, insects and the soil, while also causing numerous ills in people’s bodies from eating these altered vegetables, milk and meat.
When this year’s Hamilton Farmers Market opens in May, only produce grown from non-genetically modified seed will be allowed. Growers/vendors can comply with this requirement by purchasing seeds from companies that have vowed not to sell any genetically modified seeds. All Certified Organic seed is non-GMO.
Current and new Hamilton Farmers Market vendors are being encouraged to keep their seed packets in case there are any questions. Any vendor bringing genetically modified produce to the Market will be turned away.
Many resources are available to help growers avoid purchasing GMO seeds. These include: www.seedalliance.org, www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org, www.garden-of-eatin.com, and www.nongmoproject.org.
Questions regarding the selection and use of non-GMO seeds can be addressed to Laura Garber, 363-6627, or Karen Coombs, 363-0773.
Katrina says
All of you people saying gmo is not poison, need to do your research.. There is plenty of evidence on animals proving they contribute to infertility, gastrointestinal diseases and inflammation, cancers and brain breakdown of the cells. Wake up, gmo is banned in I believe over 60 countries, but USA and Canada own us, and poison us so we spend our money on drugs and health care. I am cutting the GMO out slowly out of our diet, and I\’m totally excited my local market is all in support of this. They understand those risks.. One point for Hamilton Yay 🙂
DONYA says
This is an exiting move forward…glad the farmers are becoming aware!! Hopefully it means they are not using herbicides and pesticides as well!!
Rob says
GMO\’s are banned (in some way shape or form) in 64 countries across the globe. So to everyone who says that these are \”safe\” you must believe that 64 other countries have it wrong?!? Really? Do some research and dig deep, FDA approval for each seed can be read online, along with the \’research\’ submitted by the company. These studies don\’t go longer than 90 days. Would you take a pill from your doctor that had only been tested for 90 days with out clarification of long term side effects? I seriously doubt it. FDA, government, supreme court, and Monsanto all have ties; be it former employees, boards of directors, share holders etc…the list is endless. Besides ask yourself the question if they are \”so safe\” why won\’t they allow for labeling? So that those of us who choose not to eat GMO\’s have the RIGHT and ABILITY to choose?
JimS says
Folks, I get it. Many people focus their concerns about family and health on the things that seem to be major problems. They read things that are scary, and they are responsible enough to be active about it. It is hard for them to believe that someone would write scary stuff without the facts. Consider that, for all the comments here claiming GMO dangers (and claiming evidence of such), not one has provided a scientific citation supporting those claims (including claims that research has shown problems) In contrast, citations have been provided to many hundreds of studies which show scientific consensus – 600 just for independent (not Monsanto, etc.) research. A lot of profit derives from the scary marketing. No science has come from it that supports these worries.
James says
Everyone is obviously entitled to their opinion and folks who feel GMO’s are safe should be free to consume the same. Also, those of us who do not wish to consume GMO products should have the right to make that informed choice regardless of what “fairy tale” science we subscribe to.You don’t make that decision fir us. The fact that there is an industrywide push to suppress and defeat any and all labeling efforts of GMO’s (funded by Monsanto, the GMA and others) leads us to assume that these companies simply do not believe that the American family should be trusted to make that decision for themselves and simply does not deserve to know what it is that they are consuming.
I however believe that the people of this great nation will demonstrate to Monsonto and all the players hiding behind the GMA how wrong they are in in those assumptions.
Thoughtful says
Some of the comments here aren’t supporting the anti-GMO cause. I am no fan of GMOs and avoid them as much as possible because I don’t like the farming practices they encourage, but I know they aren’t “poisonous.” If you have ever eaten in a restaurant that doesn’t serve exclusively organic food, you have probably eaten GMO food. You didn’t get sick or die or come close to either. Oppose GMOs for the right reasons: they encourage unsustainable farming practices.
Beth says
Thank you Ann for standing up for science and critical thinking. I find it very ironic that the people who claim that Monsanto controls what farmers plant are trying to do exactly that here.
Jim S says
You have read about how penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming. PhD., as a product of a fungus. It is one of many – pharmaceuticals are an important product of microscopic organisms. Bacteria, fungi, and viruses make medicine that is easy to purify and is very high quality. Millions of people would have died or suffered greatly without these products.What, beside food, would be affected by the elimination of GMOs?Human serum albumin for treating liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, protein-losing enteropathy, burns.Human growth hormone for treating children having severe growth deficiency.Vaccines for humans, livestock, and pets. (The vaccine for Hepatitis C is now available from potatoes.)Gastric lipase for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.Lactoferrin for treatment of stomach disorders due to H. pylori.Erythropoietin for treatment of chronic kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease and myelodysplasia (side effect of cancer treatment).Taliglucerase alfa, to replace the 0,000 per year orphan drug glucocerebrosidase, for treatment of Gaucher\’s Disease.Zenapax to prevent rejection of the transplanted kidneys.Artemisinin for treatment of malaria.Penicillin, ampicillin, flucloxacillin, dicloxacillin, methicillin, etc. antibiotics for treatment of infections.All of these, and many more, are produced by \’pharming\’ GMO fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
Larry Campbell says
Jim, There is a huge difference between food and industrial pharmaceuticals. Let’s keep it that way. When people take pharma drugs they know, to a minimal degree at least, they are taking in potentially toxic substances that are labeled, limited in availability and at least cursorily researched for level of toxicity.
Your letter and thinking are quite misleading and fuzzy at best.
JimS says
My comment addresses the question, “What, besides food, would be affected by the elimination of GMOs?”. Nothing in the accurate recitation of examples is “misleading and fuzzy”. “Taking in potentially toxic substances” includes caffeine, which has an LD50 (lethal dose) *25 times smaller* than the herbicide glyphosate. Too many people have a cursory understanding of the slight risks of such products compared to the modest risks of common exposures.
Carlos Daniel says
You are absolutely right, Ann, this people have no clue at all. They fall easily to fearmonger propaganda based on bad science funded by the Organic lobby.
Lou Worden says
You go right ahead and eat those GMOs. I don’t know you, but obviously you have a death wish. You are the ridiculous one here.
Jeri says
OMG, you need to study the facts. The dangers of GMO’s have been SCIENTIFICALLY proven.
Pat says
It is amazing how people can make choices based upon such flimsy ignorant fairy tales. GMO’s have been used for a long time, often also found in medical procedures such as with analogue insulin. You would have us robbed of great scientific improvements because you choose to be a luddite. Shame on this paper!
Jim S says
This is sad. Since before humans genetically-modified teosinte to become corn, we have changed our food in many ways. We have even successfully created food and ornamental plant varieties by *intentional mutation* (of thousands of genes), without side effects and without an activist ‘anti’ movement. Now, we have a technology which modifies a small number of genes, specifically as planned, and providing specific testability of those few modifications. We do many hundreds of research projects – many independently funded – to check safety and efficacy. A HUGE consensus finds the technology to be beneficial:
2000+ Reasons Why GMOs Are Safe To Eat And Environmentally Sustainable
A popular weapon used by those critical of agricultural biotechnology is to claim that there has been little to no evaluation of the safety of GM crops and there is no scientific consensus on this issue. Those claims are simply not true.
“Every major international science body in the world has reviewed multiple independent studies—in some cases numbering in the hundreds—in coming to the consensus conclusion that GMO crops are as safe or safer than conventional or organic foods.”
“The researchers couldn’t find a single credible example demonstrating that GM foods pose any harm to humans or animals.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2013/10/14/2000-reasons-why-gmos-are-safe-to-eat-and-environmentally-sustainable/
Becca says
If this is what you believe Anne, then you are in denial. Easy to find the studies online. Do your research.
Jessica says
Yeah! I\\\’m very exited even though I\\\’m not from the area. I will definitely plan on making a trip or two just to support local and non GMO foods!
Jessica says
Yeah! I\\’m very exited even though I\\’m not from the area. I will definitely plan on making a trip or two just to support local and non GMO foods!
Justin says
“. There is growing evidence [citation needed] that genetically modified produce is poisonous to other plants [citation needed], insects [citation needed] and the soil [citation needed], while also causing numerous ills in people’s bodies from eating these altered vegetables, milk and meat.” [citation needed]
[citation needed]
[citation needed]
Bernie Mooney says
A friend just altered me to this idea. If you are using taxpayer and public land,to deny people access is unconstitutional. Do you charge for stalls? Is it a private enterprise or does the town allow you to use the space free of charge?
CJ says
Hey Anne, in addition to the numerous studies proving the catastrophe that is GM \\”food\\”, there is a growing number of individuals who have linked their cancer and autoimmune diseases to this poison. Only after removing the foods we believed were not harmful to us (GMO), did we find relief. Yes, I am one them and there are MANY of us. GMOs cause debilitating problems when ingested over the long term. Eliminate them, go back to eating the foods our bodies were designed to break down and utilize, and regain health!
Rebecca says
Is this entirely legal? If the space is on public land or city property and they charge for stall space it could be construed as arbitrary and discriminatory business practice.
Beth Henggeler says
This is ridiculous.1. GMOs are perfectly safe2. I would be interested to know how farmers are going to bring gm produce, when the only gm produce available is papaya (not grown in the bitterroot valley), a few varieties of squash and sweet corn. Syngenta has had a gm sweet corn variety for a few years, so a few of you might have already consumed gm produce. Gasp!3. I would like to know how you plan on reinforcing this rule, does the farmers market have sophisticated lab equipment and staff qualified to run tests to see if the squash is gm? 4. I think farmers are best qualified to decide what kinds of seed to purchase.
Rita says
Reply to Anne Ward bummer you feel like this! But they will now be getting customers just like me! I guess they don’t want your business! I don’t want to knowly eat one veggie or one piece of fruit if it’s a GMO. Sorry it’s time to wake up and stop pushing poison. Thank you Hamilton Farmers Market!!
LT says
I truly believe that if you research the above statements, you will find many, MANY independent studies proving them true. Maybe you are not aware of the relationship between Monsanto an the FDA. If you did, you would find that little to no studies have been done to disprove the above statements. Please research this subject before making, what seems to be, a VERY ignorant comment. Hopefully you will educate yourself.
Willow Black says
Anne, there IS scientific evidence that GMOs are harmful to us. They damage the vital organs and cause cancer…not to mention what the glyphosate in the round-up is doing to us. GMOs also cause sterility by the third generation, in studies done on rats. There is plenty of credible information out there, if you choose to open your mind.
I applaud the Hamilton Farmers Market for making such a strong movement in a direction that will help keep people healthy.
Deirdre says
Anne- are you serious? I would love to live near a farmers market that did this! You obviously haven\\\\\\\’t done your research about GMO\\\\\\\’s!!
Deirdre says
Anne- are you serious? I would love to live near a farmers market that did this! You obviously haven\\\\’t done your research about GMO\\\\’s!!
Sam says
LOL! Anne you are a troll or a really naive child. GMO is poison. GMO is also not needed because the original God made produce is abundant. GMO is a product without a market. And she thinks a plant that has built in pesticides is not harmful? She is a troll. I hope Monsanto pays her well.
pamela says
I say let her eat only gmo, and then we will see how she fairs. These are the same kind of people who go to the doctor for answers and get a pill for everything. Morons.
Georgeann Kepchar says
This may be over reach. Very few garden vegetables have GMO variants. They are potatoes, yellow crookneck squash, tomatoes, peas, corn and sweet corn, sugar beets. There are GMO versions of flax, rice and canola, but these aren’t likely to show up as produce at the market. More likely sources of GMO would be baked goods with GMO corn. If the market wants to keep out GMOs, they should also ask people selling baked goods to show their ingredient packaging.