October 2007
David Berg
President
American Crystal Sugar Company Corporate Office
101 North 3rd Street
Moorhead, MN 56560
(218) 236-4400
We, the undersigned, would like to thank American Crystal for historically
encouraging related sugar beet farmers to avoid conversion to genetically
engineered sugar beets. We are concerned about recent comments suggesting
American Crystal is now supporting transition to biotech.
As you know, roughly half of all granulated sugar in the U.S. is
derived from sugar beets. Consumers leery of genetically engineered
products cannot rely on packaging labels indicating which products
contain genetically engineered ingredients and which do not. As a
result, consumers will seek out products from companies that have
publicly stated that they do not use genetically engineered ingredients
and/or products that are USDA certified organic.
One need only look at the history of genetically engineered crops
to see that the promises made by the biotech industry starkly contrast
the reality.
- Roundup Ready corn and soy have led to an increase of herbicide
use, not a decrease.
- The increased use of Roundup on Roundup Ready crops has led to the
advancement of superweeds that are resistant to this herbicide
- Consumer resistance to genetically engineered foods will affect
profit margins of your company and its supporting farmers
- Studies consistently show that biotech cannot feed the world, despite
what the American Crystal President recently stated and what biotech
companies are advertising. The United Nation's own reports indicate
that crop yields for organic operations that have been in place for
3 years or more are higher than biotech chemically intensive operations.
Please reconsider your decision to support genetically engineered
sugar beets and, in so doing, you will make American Crystal a food
staple that consumers can confidently rely on in the long term.
Thanks,
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