The protest over Walmart’s decision to sell genetically modified sweet corn is building. Opponents of GM foods are claim that this Monsanto-created GM food may cause health and environmental problems.
Other retailers, such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and General Mills, have decided not to sell or use the GM corn. One anti-GM organization, The Food and Water Watch, delivered a petition to Walmart, urging the world’s largest retailer not to carry the GM product in their stores. Other anti-GM groups are claiming that the GM corn is “insecticide-laced”,
“After closely looking at both sides of the debate and collaborating with a number of respected food safety experts, we see no scientifically validated safety reasons to implement restrictions on this product,” said Walmart representative Dianna Gee.
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GM sweet corn is nothing new. Syngenta, a comparable company to Monsanto, has been creating the corn for over a decade. But now, coupled with pressure from anti-GM groups to pass Prop 37 California, and label GM foods as such, the Walmart/GM corn debate is striking a nerve with consumers who do not want to buy genetically modified foods.
As there as currently no requirements to label GM foods, Walmart’s plans to stock shelves with GM sweet corn move forward.
