Why Straus Family Creamery Is Strongly Against GMOs

Straus Family Creamery products do not and never have used GMOs.  Our dairies never grow or feed GMO crops. Never will.

 As a certified organic dairy, we fully support and comply with the law prohibiting the use of rBGH in cows or the use of any crops created with GMO technology. At Straus Family Creamery, we believe that using GMOs in farming or food production is irresponsible toward our environment in the present or the future.

Today, growing or purchasing certified organic food is the only way to avoid GMOs. Please make your voice heard. Contact your state representatives and let them know you want long-term testing and mandatory GMO labeling.

What are Genetically Engineered Foods?

Genetically engineered foods, also known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), first appeared on the grocery shelves in 1994. GMOs are created by taking a gene from one species and putting it into another. This is different from anything that has been done before. A gene is responsible for a particular trait or function, for instance eye color or resistance to cold. It has been found that by introducing the gene from one organism into the DNA of another, a scientist can transfer an associated trait or feature into the new organism.

Proponents of GMOs say it is the only way to feed a growing population. At first glance it is exciting. You can create a tomato that resists cold by giving it the antifreeze gene from a flounder, corn that produces its own pesticide or cows that produce hormones to stimulate greater milk production.

We share the strong concerns and questions raised in the scientific community about GMO technologies. What are the many possible unforeseen implications of altering the genetic structure of a plant or animal?  What happens to the ecosystem as a whole? What will it do to us?

But even more importantly, there have been no adequate long-term studies on this new science and our planet is at risk. Some applications of this science have been approved for our nation's food supply by the FDA and no labeling of GMOS is currently required. We don't know when we are eating GMO foods and we don't know the repercussions and unintended consequences of this technology for our children's health or the planet.

What are rBGH and rBST?

On some dairies, the GMO used is the Bovine Growth Hormone (also known as rBGH or rBST) which is injected into milking cows. This hormone was created by recombinant DNA technology to increase the amount of milk that a cow will produce. We have concerns about how rBGH affects cows: increasing stress on cows is much more likely to make them ill. 

The United States is one of the very few countries that is allowing GMOs to proliferate. Around the world,  people and governments are protesting.  Europe and Japan are resisting purchasing GMO crops from the United States. European grocery stores are banning them from the shelves. Austria and Poland have become the first countries to declare themselves GMO free.

We support consumers' efforts to be aware of the issues and to oppose genetically modified seeds, crops, agrichemicals and foods.