Monsantoco Posts
It’s 1999. Bill Clinton is in the White House. Sydney is preparing for the Summer Olympics. The world population is about a billion less than it would be in 2012.
A caterer in the United Kingdom tells the Independent newspaper that it doesn’t use GM food, which would have been difficult in the U.K. in 1999 since there wasn’t any to exclude, but that’s another story. The Independent reports it as “GM Food Banned in Monsanto Canteen.” GM critics have a field day.
Flash forward 13 years. Greenpeace, always interested in recycling, recycles this 1999 news story. People get excited, and tweet it as a current story.
The fact is, it wasn’t true in 1999, and it’s not true today.
All foods can be found in Monsanto cafeterias – conventional and organic. None of it is singled out as conventional or organic. It’s just food served in our cafeterias, the same food that everyone else eats.
In fact, the only time any food was removed from Monsanto cafeterias was a few years back, when a produce company announced a voluntary recall of spinach because of possible E. coli contamination. We remember it because spinach leaves suddenly disappeared from our salad bars.
Last year, there was a more limited recall of spinach because of concerns over possible Listeria contamination, but that didn’t affect our cafeterias, or most of them.
And, for the record, the spinach in question in both cases was – organic.
6 Responses to "What’s Served in Monsanto’s Cafeterias?"
Thank you for clearing this up! I think this about covers it….. Nothing left to report in regards to lawsuits, the terminator gene, roundup ready soy, agent orange, dioxin, GM seeds or any other of DOZENS of “incredible” stories about your wonderful company. I have a question….does the landscaping company that services the companies headquarters…..use roundup?
David – if you look here — http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/Issues-and-Answers.aspx — you will find Monsanto statements on lawsuits, the Terminator gene, Agent Orange, etc. And yes, our landcaping people do use Roundup herbicide for weed control at our headquarters.
In the late 1990s, Monsanto sold biotech insect and virus-protected potatoes trademarked as NewLeaf potatoes. Occasionally, the Monsanto cafeteria would serve meals made specifically with NewLeaf potatoes and other biotech food ingredients.
First I’m glad to have “Liked” you on Facebook. It does help to hear both sides of any argument. Now the question… what do you feel the benefits are of eating organic products, like the spinach served in your cafeteria?
Lisa – I’ve tried a number of organic products, mostly fruits and vegetables (but once even tried organic potato chips). Some of the very first organic products I tried were apples, because I love apples and am always looking for tastier varieties. What I found, though, after trying numerous kinds, was that the major difference was price — organic apples cost more. Maybe my taste buds are insensitive, but I really couldn’t taste a difference.
So when you say “conventional” foods are served in your cafeteria, do you mean GM food is served in your cafeteria?