Retailer Roundtable: How do you support right-to-know efforts?
Natural grocers around the country are supporting various aspects of right-to-know legislation and advocating for their customers to get involved and shift their foodscapes.
September 28, 2014
Allison Weinhagen
Director of member services for City Market, Onion River Co-op in Burlington, Vermont
As the largest single store food cooperative in the United States (in terms of sales), City Market proudly supported the passage of the GMO labeling law in Vermont. To that end, our staff wrote articles, testified at legislative committee hearings, drafted a support letter to the Statehouse for all Vermont food cooperatives to sign, and partnered with Vermont Right to Know GMOs to hold public events and offered lawn signs to our members.
David Hinckle
Co-owner of Earthbeam Natural Foods in Burlingame, California
As of Aug. 1, we are an all-organic or non-GMO store. It’s been a very big issue for us since Proposition 37 was defeated in 2012. I am all about labeling as the first of three steps in my vision. First, GMOs will be labeled. Then justice will need to come to farmers that suffered contamination. And the third step is elimination of genetically modified food crops. We made our move clear, and support the Non-GMO Project, which is predominant in our store.
Shawna Anderson
Purchasing department representative at Lakewinds Food Co-op in Chanhassen, Minnesota
We provide more organic and non-GMO options for our customers. We also provide resources for our customers on our website to educate them about GMOs and provide contacts for our state legislators and federal officials as well as links to Right to Know Minnesota. We feel our biggest support is being part of NCGA because they are a partner in the Just Label It campaign and are a voice for all co-op members.
Becky Most-Reinfeld
Supplements & HABA Manager at Nature’s Oasis in Durango, Colorado
We believe that anytime you alter or add anything to a natural product or the production of that product, the public has the right to know. This belief includes GMOs, hybrids, nanos, antibiotics and hormones for increased productions, any and all pesticides, and herbicides. If a company believes what they are doing is safe they should have no problem allowing the public to make the decision whether to purchase the product with all the information.
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