And what's with that ruler, anyway?

Are you eating Frankenfoods?  Are you sure?

According to Green America's May 2012  issue, the following nine foods are the most prevalent genetically modified food ingredients currently sitting (unlabeled, there are no requirements to warn) on your grocer's shelves.

The chart (9 Ingredients to Watch) shows how long the crop has been genetically modified, how widespread it is now (be seated while reading this category) and the real deal sealer, "What to watch for" that delineates which products may include a particular GMO along with what monikers and acronyms to be aware of.

What is your GMO IQ?  I was generally aware of the prevalence of GM soy and corn, I know a coalition of Maine potato farmers have been battling to keep GM potatoes from upending their small scale and organic operations, but papaya and Aspartame as GMO products were surprises to me.

Yes, Aspartame.  How can an artificial sweetener be a genetically modified product?  Taken from  GMO Compass, in their GMO Database section,
"Gene technology
A building block of aspartame, the amino acid phenylalanine, may be manufactured with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms (escherichia coli). This process has been used industrially in the USA for many years. "

Well, ick, y'all.  I'm not typically tempted to use Aspartame sweetened products in the first place, but if I was?   That tidbit of information would seal the non-use deal.  And yeah, I can't wait to drop that into the conversation the first time I spot anybody sucking down a diet drink.  Because I am that kind of helpful.  All the time.

You're welcome.

Y'all be sure to check out the link and read about what may be lurking in your pantry unbeknownst.   Whether or not you change your shopping habits, if your memory for numbers is better than mine you at least now have some starling information to casually insert into your next chat about food.

On another topic, this raises the question: Did I post this just for the opportunity to legitimately use "unbeknownst"?  Maybe....  If my suspicions are accurate, there is an unconscious style editor, one who is apparently smitten with archaic language no less, lurking about just waiting for chances to use terms such as "thrice" or "languish".  I picture her wearing her hair up, librarian style, wire rimmed glasses in place and for some strange reason she is waving a ruler around.   Hmmmmm.

Sign On for Better Local Eats!

A petition is being circulated asking Obama to appoint a "sustainable" choice as Secretary of Agriculture, someone who will shift the focus away from agri-business and towards a more sustainable and nutritious food supply.

As has happened around Austin as exemplified by the CSA farm I get baskets from and last year's water problems they had, small farmers need all the help they can get to secure a better life. That includes other small suppliers as well. Ranchers and cheese makers, Dairies, all of whose traditional ways of life and hopes of getting sustainable food and food products to local markets are threatened.

As the Pitres at Tecolote put it, "When the small farming way of life is at risk, so too is the strength of diversity in the food supply chain."

Amen to that!

I have signed the petition. That places me in the good company of Michael Pollen, Alice Waters, Wendell Berry, and others who care about the health of farms in our historically great agricultural nation.

And here's a little Go Texan bit for you to add if you wish:

**In the comments section of the petition, feel free to cut and paste in the following:
Jim Hightower, former Agricultural Commissioner of Texas, promoter of local, organic, and sustainable agriculture and author of Hard Times Hard Tomatoes and other writing concerning Agri-business and food nutrition would be a great candidate for the job.

The petition can be found here.

For more perspective on this, read Nicholas Kristof's column, "Secretary of Food," from Wednesdays NYTimes:

Obama's transition team says that they are aware of the petition and said that 25,000 endorsements would get their attention, and 50,000 could really influence Obama's pick.
According to the site the petition is currently at 45,000, and signature accumulation is slowing down.

Please take 15 seconds to sign, and a few moments to pass this along to your own networks. To reiterate: this petition has the attention of Obama's team, and they are expected to make their choice public very soon, so there are only a few days left to press for a reform-minded choice.