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Ag groups launch Straight Talk campaign about GMO’s and sustainability
A coalition of agricultural groups has launched a campaign on the important role GMOs play in improving sustainability in the food production system.
Randy Krotz, CEO U.S. Farmers Ranchers Alliance PHOTO: Randy Krotz, LinkedIn
USFRA CEO Randy Krotz tells Brownfield the move is fueled by Dannon’s recent announcement that it plans to source milk only from dairy farmers that use non-GMO feed. Krotz says the Straight Talk campaign announced Thursday is an effort to show food companies like Dannon how important GMO’s are to sustainability. Krotz says, “We thought that was really the pivotal point for us to say, you know, of course that’s not true, and we wanted to make sure that Dannon understood clearly that when we use GMO corn and soybeans, that it actually helps farmers be more sustainable, in fact much more sustainable.” He tells Brownfield, “We’ve got to stop removing these valuable technologies from farmers because food companies are taking these positions to try to carve out market share from other companies.”
Krotz says about a million and a half producer members from six farm organizations sent a letter to Dannon last week, and are behind the Straight Talk campaign. He says it’s about getting accurate information to packagers and consumers. “Occasionally, when an organization really miscommunicates and provides misinformation about our technologies, we’re going to have to be as forward with them as we were with Dannon, but I think generally speaking, this is just going to be outreach and conversation to make sure food companies are hearing from agriculture, and understand the tools we use and what they mean to food production.”
Consumers are paying more attention to what’s on the label and where their food comes from, but Krotz says there’s much more to it than a package saying the product is free of certain things. He tells Brownfield, “We want people to walk down the grocery isle, and instead of seeing all of the absence claims that they see, and they do, and many consumers are making purchases today based on those absence claims, whether it’s antibiotic free or gluten… pick one, right? What we want them to be is a little more informed.”
Much of the Straight Talk campaign will feature videos and information on social media at www.fooddialogues.com.
The National Milk Producers Federation, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers, the National Corn Growers Association, and U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance are supporting the educational campaign, after sending a letter to Dannon executives last week.
USFRA CEO Randy Krotz discusses the Straight Talk campaign with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.
Tags: animal feed, Dairy, gmo, GMO feed
Way to go Randy!