Eating non-GMO is the perfect way to celebrate Earth Month! To help you take this step we have created the “Say “No” to GMOs!” refrigerator guide. Download a 4″ x 6″ high resolution version of the Guide for printing.
Be one of the first 100 people to upload a Non-GMO Challenge photo—an image of you holding a sign stating your non-GMO commitment—and we will send you a non-GMO fridge magnet.
![NonGMOMagnet_lores[2]](http://www.nongmoproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/NonGMOMagnet_lores2.jpg)
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve signed a contract with Skyhorse Publishing in New York. More than a collection of wonderful recipes, The Non-GMO Cookbook will feature tips and FAQs for avoiding GMOs, as well as profiles and photos of leaders in the Non-GMO Movement.
SUBMIT YOUR RECIPE HERE. All submissions must be received by March 29th. Space is limited; recipes will be selected based on originality and overall balance. We will contact you with more details if your recipe is selected.
Skyhorse Publishing catalogue description:
THE NON-GMO COOKBOOK
Recipes and Advice for a Non-GMO Lifestyle
From the heart of the Non-GMO movement comes a collection of recipes and advice for healthy living. Here in the U.S., unlabeled GMOs (genetically modified organisms) contaminate as much as 80% of the packaged food supply. These novel organisms have never undergone long-term human safety tests, and are labeled or banned in more than 60 countries around the world. The Non-GMO Cookbook is an invaluable resource for the growing number of Americans who are looking to opt out of the GMO experiment.
For this unique cookbook, Megan Westgate and Courtney Pineau of the Non-GMO Project [are collecting] a delicious assortment of treasured recipes from friends and allies in the non-GMO community. From classic favorites to bold innovations, you’ll find simple recipes for every meal and occasion. Complete with tips for non-GMO shopping, and featuring lots of gluten-free, dairy-free and allergy-friendly selections, The Non-GMO Cookbook is your complete guide to safe, healthy non-GMO living.
Coming fall 2013, just in time for Non-GMO Month (October)!
The pace is quickening here at the Non-GMO Project. With a 50 percent increase in the number of enrollments during the last quarter of 2012, the Product Verification Program was in need of extra help. Isaac will be working alongside Dedrian Clark to answer all of your questions about the Product Verification Program and build up the non-GMO food supply.
What interests you about working with the Non-GMO Project — what about this opportunity caught your attention?
After working as a reporter for four years, I was looking for an opportunity to put my environmental ethic to work and advocate for an important cause. While researching the Non-GMO Project, I was surprised to learn that it is the only third party verifier of non-GMO products in North America. I am excited to join the movement to uphold the sanctity of seeds and the food that comes from those seeds.
How do you think your prior experience will help you in working with the Non-GMO project?
My first “real” full-time job was working as a business reporter. (Do snowboard instructor or camp counselor count as real jobs?) Being a reporter is hard work; I was constantly researching trends, interviewing people in person and on the phone, and writing as fast as I could to meet deadlines. I also got to connect with a lot of very interesting business people — from local farmers to small business owners to corporate CEOs — and learn about what makes their businesses unique. I understand a lot of the pressures business people face and I hope that I will be able to help guide clients through the product verification process.
What is important to you about the work you will be doing with the Project?
Food is life. It’s that simple. Each seed has the potential to become a living organism, and in turn enrich the life of another living organism. I feel that modern life sometimes separates us from this most basic connection to our food, but that is slowly changing. I’m proud to support efforts such as community supported agriculture and the Non-GMO Project that inform people about their food and build positive connections to their food supply.
In 2012, the Non-GMO Project experienced exponential growth. We reached over $2.4 billion in annual sales of verified products and the number of requests from companies seeking Non-GMO Project Verification hit record numbers. With consumer demand for non-GMO choices off the charts, in December it was time for the Non-GMO Project team to grow as well. We are so pleased to welcome Isabel VanDerslice as the sixth member of our staff, in the position of Outreach Coordinator and Office Manager.
Here’s a little info to help you get to know Isabel better…
Bio
Isabel was born in Raleigh, North Carolina and spent several years in El Paso, Texas before her family settled in much greener Olympia, Washington. She spent her senior year of high school living with a family just outside of Barcelona, Spain, and fell in love with Catalan and Spanish language, culture, and especially, cooking.
She graduated from Western Washington University with her BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and particularly enjoyed studying genetics and immunology. One of her favorite professors is a plant geneticist who became interested in the subject through a community college class he took to learn how to grow the right shaped gourds for banjo-making. Needless to say, she too developed a keen interest in plants, but less so in banjos. Throughout college and for two years after, Isabel managed political campaigns. The Non-GMO project offers an opportunity to put these organizational skills and passion to make a difference to good use outside electoral politics.
Now, Isabel is learning the non-GMO trade and is able to more fully dedicate herself to gardening, inventing recipes, planning exotic travel abroad, and protecting our food supply and environment. She is also chair of the Whatcom Conservation Voters, and a volunteer with Whatcom County’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services.
Questions and Answers
What interests you about working with the Non-GMO Project — what about this opportunity caught your attention?
A friend forwarded me this job description while I was in the process of moving back to Bellingham after being away for nearly a year. My family is full of foodies, so from a young age cooking good meals together was important to me, and this has only grown over time. Through studying molecular biology I began to better understand the mechanisms of life, and how intricate, complicated and interconnected our world is, from a cellularlevel to an entire ecosystem. Integrating into the community of Bellingham throughout college served to impress upon me the importance of living more locally and sustainably. I began to garden organically, shop at our Co-op and focus on the important economic, social justice and environmental issues at play in food systems. The prevalence of GMOs in food is a huge concern to me; offering a verification process and a label to give consumers a choice is a powerful market force for change. To begin working on this with a small, passionate team is very exciting for me.
How do you think your prior experience will help you in working with the Non-GMO Project?
I spent the last five years working in electoral politics, three of those as a campaign manager. Much of my job was communicating with the public about a huge number of complicated issues all in many different ways in a very short space of time. It was a lot of fun to share ideas with people from various backgrounds on whatever issue they had questions or ideas about, and I found that the opportunity for dialogue and learning was an excellent way to improve our work. To build a movement, we also had to do a great deal of outreach and grassroots organizing. It was so rewarding to see a community come together to make a change for good. The Non-GMO project offers an opportunity to put these organizing, outreach and communications skills to good use for a great cause.
What is important to you about the work you will be doing with the Project?
After studying biology and working in politics, I see a major challenge of our modern world is bridging the gap between science and people’s lives — making scientific findings accessible to everyone. There often seems to be an enormous disconnect between research findings and media sources. The Non-GMO Project has done a fantastic job of communicating complex issues in a clear, compelling and accurate manner, and I look forward to applying my skills to opening more dialogues about GMOs with producers, farmers, retailers, consumers and community leaders around the nation. With all the momentum this movement has gained in just a few short years, it’s exciting to be a part of the conversation.
Happy Holidays to our Non-GMO Project community!
We are excited to announce the winners of our Non-GMO Holiday Dreamboxes: Linda Goodale and Valentina Thompson!
In her entry Linda Goodale shared, “I have purchased an organic turkey and will be eating salad and greens from my garden and potatoes and sweet potatoes from the Farmers Market. For desert we are having a pecan pie from our pecan trees and lemon bars from my lemon tree. I will be purchasing organic butter, milk as well as other ingredients for a wonderful non GMO Christmas meal. I am shopping locally at the farmers markets and small mom and pop stores, even Estate sales and Thrift stores for holiday gifts. No BIG BOX stores this year. I would love to win the Dreambox.”
Valentina Thompson was also planning to cook an amazing meal. She said, “My husband and I are organic farmers so we plan to have a delicious homegrown and home cooked dinner and invite our friends And family over to help enjoy it with us! My favorite things to make are seminole pumpkin (it’s a small sweet round squash native to florida, our home state) filled with quinoa, mushrooms, onions, herbs, garlic, and home made cane syrup And baked to perfection, you also can’t go wrong with roasted brussel sprouts with olive oil when they’re in season! We make organic egg nog around here so it doesn’t get much more festive than that! We also like to attend church together and give thanks for all we are given year round by the creator of this amazing and fruitful planet. To win this would be a Christmas wish come true!! Joy to the world!
Thank you to the 500 people that submitted entries for the Giveaway! Happy Holidays from the Non-GMO Project team.
2012 was a year of great progress for the non-GMO movement. The Non-GMO Project grew exponentially, seeing coverage in Vogue and “O” Magazine and a Facebook fan base passing the 100,000 mark. Landmark efforts for mandatory labeling at home and abroad helped catapult the GMO issue into the mainstream, and consumer demand for non-GMO choices went off the charts.
While we still have our work cut out for us in 2013, we head into the new year buoyed by recent successes and riding a growing tidal wave of support.
Here are our top 10 highlights of the Right to Know Movement in 2012:
1. Over 1 million signatures on Just Label It Petition to FDA
This ongoing effort for mandatory GMO labeling in the United States has collected more than twice as many signatures as any other food-related petition in the FDA’s history. In March 2012, signatures surpassed 1,000,000 and the list of supporters continues to grow.
2. Historic vote on mandatory labeling in CA
In spite of a $46 million misinformation campaign by the chemical companies that make GMOs, in November nearly half of California voters still voted in favor of prop 37 for mandatory GMO labeling. Although the measure did not pass, it raised unprecedented awareness, and 30 other states are now working on mandatory labeling initiatives.
3. Peru passes monumental ten-year ban on genetically engineered foods
In Peru this November, a 10-year ban came into effect on the importation, production and use of GMOs. According to Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar Vidal, the law is designed to support local farmers and preserve Peru’s biodiversity.
4. Non-GMO product sales surpass $2.4 billion annually
Since it first appeared on products in 2010, the Non-GMO Project Verified seal has become one of the fastest-growing labels in the natural products industry. As consumers increasingly seek out this third-party stamp of approval, annual sales topped $2.4 billion at the end of the third quarter.
5. Monsanto Loses to Beekeepers of Yucatan Peninsula
In August, courts ruled in favor of a coalition of 59 beekeepers, environmentalists, and NGOs seeking to block cultivation of GMO soy on 626,412 acres in eight Mexican states. According to Director of Agricultural Development Simon Treviño Alcantara, European businesses had suspended the purchase of honey from Yucatan and Quintana Roo pending evidence that the product is not contaminated with GMOs.
6. Genetic Roulette Documentary puts spotlight on health risks of GMOs
This new documentary from author Jeffrey Smith features testimony from healthcare practitioners, scientists, veterinarians, parents, and others about the health risks of genetically modified foods. During the first free showing week in September, the film was viewed more than 1.25 million times.
7. Brazil orders Nestlé to label GM products
After analysis showed that the soy in one of Nestlé’s cookies was more than half GMO, a Brazilian court ordered Nestlé to implement labeling on all products containing more than 1% GMO. The court also implemented a fine of R5,000 ($2,382) for any product found out of compliance.
8. Third annual Non-GMO Month sees record-breaking participation
During October, more than 1,500 natural food retailers took part in Non-GMO Month by educating their communities about the GMO issue and celebrating the right to know. As part of the month-long annual event the Non-GMO Project distributed 10,000 tote bags and 100,000 pocket guides, and hosted more than 110,000 visitors to its websites.
9. France restores ban on GMO maize crops
Just in time to protect spring planting, last March France imposed a temporary moratorium on the cultivation of Monsanto’s MON810 (GMO corn). The ruling came after a previous ban was annulled in November 2011.
10. Kaiser Permanente promotes non-GMO choices
This fall, Kaiser Permanente’s patient newsletter featured advice and information for avoiding GMOs, including a suggestion to limit exposure to GMOs by choosing Non-GMO Project Verified foods. According to the article: “Despite what the biotech industry might say, there is little research on the long-term effects of GMOs on human health.”
We know many are feeling disappointment about the defeat of proposition 37 in California, but there is actually a lot to celebrate. Prop 37 has exponentially elevated the GMO conversation, not just in California but across the country. Opportunities to protect the future of our food are still powerful and plentiful, so stay positive and stay engaged!
One thing you can do today? Share this infographic far and wide! You can download a PDF by clicking here, and you can also re-post from our Facebook page. Let’s build on the momentum of prop 37 and help ensure that this is not the end but in fact only the beginning.
The third annual Non-GMO Month in October was a resounding success, and we would like to offer a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated! We’re especially inspired by the more than 1,500 retailers across the U.S. and Canada who worked with us throughout the month to promote non-GMO choices and educate their shoppers, staff and communities.
With the vote on proposition 37 coming up in California next week, and consumer awareness and demand for non-GMO food at an all-time high, we’ve never been busier here at the Non-GMO Project. A quick review of Non-GMO Month metrics proves the point:
Non-GMO Month in Numbers
1,500 Participating Retailers
100,000 Non-GMO Project Pocket Guides distributed
110,000+ Visitors to our websites
14,000 entries in our online Daily Giveaway Contest
4.47 million impressions on Facebook
2.8 million impressions on Twitter
10,000 Non-GMO Project tote bags handed out
784 Products Verified in the 90 days leading up to Non-GMO Month
189 new inquiries about Product Verification Program enrollment
It’s worth noting that in addition to the amazing volume of engagement, the quality of participation has also been impressive. Take a look at submissions for our Non-GMO Month Retailer Endcap Contest and you’ll see what I mean! We got so many incredible entries that we couldn’t choose just one. Even narrowing it down to the top 5 was difficult, and we applaud the creativity and passion of everyone who participated.
Non-GMO Month Retailer Endcap Winners (click here for a slideshow)
Good Earth Natural Foods in Fairfax, CA
Nature’s Pantry in Fishkill, NY
Viroqua Coop in Viroqua WI
South Glenn Whole Foods Market in Centennial, CO
The Gentle Rain Natural Health Food Store in Stratford, ON Canada
Thank you again to everyone who helped make this Non-GMO Month such a huge success. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
–Megan Westgate, Executive Director
Here at the Non-GMO Project we love Halloween—costumes, parties, autumn leaves, and yes, sweets and treats. There are many ways to celebrate Halloween and help keep your family safe from treats that contain GMOs. Many of the companies that are verified by the Non-GMO Project offer wonderful Halloween treats for all of the little witches and goblins in your life. To help you in creating the best Halloween possible, the Non-GMO Project has collaborated with Green Halloween® to create the “Guide to a Non-GMO Halloween.”
Wishing you a happy Halloween!: Guide-to-a-Non-GMO-Halloween (PDF)
