What is in this article?:
- 5 things moms get wrong at the grocery store
- Many American moms are being misled about how their food was grown and raised.
According to a new survey, American moms may be building their grocery lists based on misinformation about how their food was grown and raised.
The Gate-to-Plate survey of more than 1,000 moms was commissioned by CommonGround, a grassroots coalition of farm women who want to foster conversations among all women - on farms and in cities - about where our food comes from and how it is raised. Findings of the survey include:
Eighty-four percent of moms surveyed believe that organic food is farmed without any pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides.
The facts - Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used and organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides. However, more than 50 synthetic substances may be used in organic crop production if other substances fail to prevent or control the target pest. All foods - whether organic or nonorganic - must meet certain health and safety regulations before being sold to consumers.
While one-fourth of the moms who participated in the survey said they had never heard of genetically modified (GMO) foods, the majority of moms question the safety of GMO foods. Nearly half - 43 percent - of moms in the survey believe that GMO food is nutritionally and chemically different than non-GMO food.
The facts - All GMO foods are still exhaustively assessed for safety by groups like the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In the 12-plus years that modern biotech crops have been commercially grown, there has not been a single documented case of an ecosystem disrupted or a person made ill. GMO foods are nutritionally and chemically identical to food grown from non-biotech crops.
HORMONES IN MEAT
More than half of moms in the survey said they believe it is important to feed their families hormone-free poultry and pork - even though it may cost more to do so.
The facts - There's no need to pay extra for poultry or pork that's labeled hormone-free. USDA prohibits farmers from using hormones to raise chickens and pigs.