Dean Foods. You might not have heard their name, but as one of the largest processors and direct distributors of dairy products in the U.S., you just might have bought one of their products before. Land O’Lakes, Garelick Farms, Alta Dena, Country Fresh, Berkeley Farms, Mayfield Dairy – all brands owned by Dean Foods.
The other thing that all of these brands have in common? GMOs.
While not genetically modified themselves, dairy products are not immune to the insidious impacts of GMOs. Cows living on industrialized farms, or concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), are fed almost entirely GMO crops like corn, soy, alfalfa, cotton seed, and/or sugar beets. In fact, 98% of GM soy and 49% of GM corn goes to feeding livestock and poultry.
Animals, like humans, are deeply impacted by the quality of their diets. A recent study showed that pigs fed an entirely GMO diet suffered from severe stomach inflammation when compared to pigs given non-GMO feed. Additionally, while the dairy industry claims that genetically modified particles are broken down in the digestive tracts of the animals that eat them, these GM particles have shown up in the organs and milk of animals fed GMOs, the same milk and meat that humans then eat.
Dean Foods claims that their white milk does not contain GMOs, while sourcing their dairy from cows raised on genetically modified feed. To quote Dean Foods from their website: “Pure and simple, we ensure Mother Nature’s most perfect food finds a place in every home.”
Considering Dean Foods’ use of genetically modified animal feed in their dairy operations, their products don’t seem so “pure and simple” to us. And as for Mother Nature? CAFOs and genetic engineering were probably not what she had in mind.
It’s time to hold Dean Foods accountable. Join us in calling on Dean Foods to shift to non-GMO feed for their cows, and help us accelerate the shift to a non-GMO food system!
