Smuckers "all natural" foods may not be 'natural' after all

The GMO foods continue to be "debated in Congress, as if consumer health and safety is actually negotiable.

Apparently to some in Congress - it is.

Natural by definition:

• being in accordance with, or determined by Nature.

• Having a specified character by nature.

• Occurring in conformity with the ordinary course of nature.

• Existing in, or produced by nature.

• Living in, or as if in a state of nature untouched by the influences of civilization.

Today (December 6, 2013, at 12:30 pm) i called Smuckers to ask about their "all natural" products.

I reached the representative in the office of CEO Richard Smucker.

The telephone conversation went as follows:

I said:

I would like to speak to someone about the "all natural" products that you sell.

I have been using these products for years thinking they were, in fact, "all natural".

I have always been concerned about what i feed my family, and have trusted Smuckers to provide foods as labeled on their products.

My question is: Are the ingredients in your "all natural" products truly 'all natural', or are they genetically modified foods?

The representative was polite and answered honestly:

She told me that Smuckers complies with the law and the laws in the United States DO NOT require them to label their products as to whether they use GMO foods, or not.

I asked:

Are you telling me that the 'all natural" products are genetically modified?

She informed me that "..when they label their products "all natural" it only means that there are "no additives" to the products ingredients''.

They cannot guarantee that the ingredients they buy to use in their jams and jellies, or other products they sell, are not genetically modified.

They buy in bulk and cannot be sure where those fruits come from, if those fruits are truly "natural", or genetically modified.

She went on to say that:

Smuckers complies with the laws, and the laws do not mandate labeling whether the ingredients are GMO, or not.
They (Smuckers) DO NOT support 'individual state' requirements to label their products as GMO free, or not.

They also DO NOT support any kind of GMO labeling at all, or any proposed bills to require them to do so.

The only interpretation that can be concluded from this conversation is that Smuckers is not concerned with the health of their customers, unless their health and safety is mandated by law.

They are "legally" allowed to use any products without knowing if those products are genetically modified or not.

The prevalent bottom line in the U.S.A. is clearly:

• "profits above safety"

Smuckers is compliant with that premise and will continue with it until the laws of the U.S. dictate otherwise

Solution:

We as consumers must make a concerted effort to buy only local products from food producers that we know and trust and have our health and safety first and foremost when they manufacture foods for us to eat.

Please feel free to verify this information by calling them yourselves.

The link below will give all the details for calling for verification.

Follow the directions and you will be directed to a "live person".

Otherwise you will be asked to leave a message and they will 'forward' it to someone else.

Which means it will be deleted and/or totally ignored.

We, as consumers, must take responsibility for our own health and safety when it comes to food manufacturers in this country. We have the right to know what we are consuming, in spite of what the manufacturers say to the contrary.

There are many foods that are organic, GMO free, and healthy to feed to ourselves and our children. It only takes a small amount of effort to research, read labels, call the manufacturers comments numbers on the foods you buy and ask about the ingredients, and only buy what is truly "natural", healthy, and safe, for human consumption.

If enough of us call to tell the manufacturers that we do not want GMO products, or at least know that they are in those foods, maybe they will get the message.

Be assured that the only reason they are fighting the labeling of GMO products is in the event that there are untoward side effects from humans ingesting GMO foods [as proven to be the case in animals], the manufacturers will not be held liable for selling them to the unsuspecting public. Without labeling there is no proof to connect the food manufacturers to any possible side effects.

by: d.william 12/06/2013