Media Contact: Craig
Phone: 831.425.3101
E-mail: Montereybayrage@hotmail.com

August 6, 2000 - Earth First! & R.A.G.E. staged an action at Trader Joe's in Capitola, California pushing for an elimination of genetically engineered ingredients in their products and for product labeling.

the banner

On a busy shopping day near the Capitola mall, hungry consumers shared the aisles of Trader Joe's, a nation-wide specialty foods market, with 40 activists representing Earth First! and R.A.G.E. (Resistance Against Genetic Engineering). The activists expressed their concerns on Sunday, August 6th regarding genetically engineered (GE) ingredients to customers and store management by handing out literature and engaging in educational conversations.  While using a more direct-action approach the activists hung a banner outside the building over the store's sign that read, "ABOLISH BIOTECH FOODS!"  In addition to the banner (which remained hung for a half hour until it was removed by employees,) the activists attached 1000 small, white stickers on cans, boxes and other non-organic food packaging that advised, "Warning, product may contain unlabeled genetically engineered organisms."

the label

After 15 minutes store management asked the biohazard suit-clad activists to leave. The Capitola Police arrived soon after and warned the activists not to re-enter the store. The mid-day demonstration continued in the parking lot at the entrance of the Capitola store with dozens of handheld signs such as, "What are you feeding your kids?" and "Traitor GMOs."  Informative literature was handed to willing customers as they entered and exited the store. Included in the information packets were post cards that can be signed and sent to the store's Southern California based Corporate Headquarters that indicate customer concerns for the ingredients in Trader Joe's non-organic products.

the question

According to GE FREE LA, a community educational group, 60% of all non-organic foods may be genetically engineered. Their research documents that 35% of all U.S. grown corn and 55% of soybeans are GE.  "The industry says that they cannot segregate GE from Non-GE food, even though they do this for export to Europe" said RAGE media spokesperson Craig, "So if something has a corn, soy, potato or tomato non-organic ingredient, which is nearly all processed foods, then we have to assume that the product is genetically engineered." Genetic Engineering is a new technology still in its early experimental stage of development. By randomly inserting together the genes of non-related species (fish genes with tomatoes for example), utilizing viruses, antibiotic-resistant genes, and bacteria, scientists can permanently alter genetic codes of plants, and animals, creating previously unimaginable transgenic life forms.

In a letter addressed to GE FREE LA from Trader Joe's Corporate office in South Pasadena, the company is choosing not to put genetically modified organism (GMO) information on their labels because, "GE foods have not yet been clearly defined by the FDA and/or the USDA."  Movements such as Earth First! and R.A.G.E. find this comment to be a contradiction and indeed should be a motivation in of itself to inform the public of what they are consuming by labeling packaging. GE FREE LA's information exclaims that the long-term effects of eating GMOs have yet to be studied.  Craig says that, "Nearly every genetic modification involves a change in an organisms proteins, adding new proteins that have never been in the human diet. So even the FDA admits there is the chance of creating new allergens and new toxins. There are already numerous examples of this, some of them fatal such as with L-tryptohpan, a common food additive that the FDA believes a genetic engineered variety was possibly responsible for 37 deaths and 1,5000 disabling illnesses." In addition to human health risks, there are potential environmental concerns as well.  Scientists estimate that GE herbicide-resistant crops planted around the world will triple the amount of toxic herbicides used in agriculture, which creates soil, stream, river and ocean contamination including animal life in their respective ecosystems. "Another concern", says Craig, "is that there will be gene transfer from GMOs to wild relatives that are related to the plants we eat. There may be the creation of super-weeds, or other problems we can't even imagine."

the symbols

The Trader Joe's store manager expressed displeasure with the demonstrator's methods for public outreach, however a Capitola Police officer thanked the activists for having such a peaceful protest. A customer and farm worker expressed his appreciation by giving the activists two boxes of organic peaches. After an hour and a half the protest ended.

the products

Several months ago, a similar event took place involving one of Santa Cruz's Safeway locations. GE FREE LA is organizing an upcoming march on Saturday, August 12th to one of Trader Joe's locations in Los Angeles.

the atmosphere

the interactions

the place

the protesters

the store management

Articles of Interest:

1. Risks of Genetic Engineering

2. Ten Reasons Why Biotechnology Will Not Ensure Food Security, Protect the Environment and Reduce Poverty in the Developing World

note: for higher quality photos please contact indybay@scwid.com