The ViroquaFood Co-op is very concerned about GMOs in our food supply and we believe that everyone has the right to know whether or not GMOs are in the food we’re eating and feeding to our families.

As a result, the Viroqua Food Co-op has been proactive in supporting the efforts of Just Label It, an organization working to pass legislation mandating the labeling of foods containing GMOs, by posting signs throughout our store and sending out Just Label It email blasts to all our member-owners to bolster support for their efforts. We have also printed numerous articles in our Pea Soup Newsletter about GMOs (March/April 2011, September/October 2011, May/June 2012) that aim to educate our owners about GMOs and the movement to label foods that contain them. We also actively participate in non-GMO Month  every October.

Because we are a retail store without the ability to do genetic analysis on products, and there are no laws requiring GMO labeling, we cannot tell you which products contain GMOs. But we can tell you which products DO NOT.

Until legislation is passed that mandates labeling of GMOs, the best way, you as a shopper can make sure that products you purchase don’t have GMOs is to purchase USDA Certified Organic products, which, by law, cannot have GMOs, and/or purchase products that carry the “non-GMO Project Verified” logo on their label. You can educate yourself as a shopper about products that are “non-GMO Project Verified” here. At this time, we designate the “non-GMO Project Verified” products in our store with signs.

In the mean time, if you’d like to receive action alerts about advocacy and political issues around food issues (including GMOs), visit our website and sign up for our email list at the top right hand corner of this page. (be sure to check the action alert box).

In the video below, Dr Mercola discusses the  first-ever lifetime feeding study¹ evaluating the health risks of genetically engineered foods. You can read about it here.

What are GMOs?

GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This relatively new science allows DNA from one species to be injected into another species in a laboratory, creating combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

I am worried abut GMOs in food. What should I buy?

Look for the USDA certified organic label, because the organic standards do not allow GMOs in certified organic foods. You may also look for non-GMO claims that are independently verified, for example by the Non-GMO Project.

Download the Non-Gmo Shopping tips brochure here.

Can you tell me what non-organic products contain GMOs?

There is no regulated labeling protocol for products containing GMOs. Look for certified organic products, and products that make third-party verified ‘non-GMO’ claims. Fresh whole foods are less likely to contain GMOs than processed foods.

Are there specific products that might contain GMOs?

The first genetically modified crops were corn, soybeans, and cotton, which were engineered to control the growth of weeds and resist insects. Sugar beets are another crop which has recently been deregulated. Since these are common ingredients in processed food, GMOs are appearing in more and more products.

What is the Co-op doing about GMOs?

We are members of National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA), which works with many organizations on behalf of all food co-ops to fight the deregulation of GMOs at the regulatory and legal level.

What can I do to fight GMOs?

Contact your legislators and add your voice to the campaign to prevent deregulation of GMOs and label GE foods. Visit the Center for Food Safety