Full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/plu-codes-do-not-indicate_b_473088.html

Excerpt:

Let’s put a rumor to rest. No, the 5-digit PLU codes on produce do not tell you what is genetically modified or natural. This urban legend has circulated long enough, even on the best of websites. It’s time to take it down.

The 4-digit PLU codes on the sometimes-pain-in-the-neck labels glued to apples, for example, tell the checkout lady which is a small Fuji (4129) and which is a Honeycrisp (3283). She’ll know what to charge you and the inventory elves will know what’s what. If there’s a 5-digit code starting with 9, then it’s organic.

These numbers, organized by the Produce Marketing Association, have nothing to do with you. According to Kathy Means, Association Vice President of Public Relations and Government Affairs, this is an optional convention for retailers and their supplier and is not designed as a communication tool for customers. If you want to know which items are organic, look for the word Organic; and stop squinting at tiny codes.

GMO codes are hypothetical

Those that run PLU-universe figured that someday some retailer might want to distinguish between a GMO and a non-GMO for price or inventory purposes. So they created a convention of 5 digits starting with an 8, just in case it catches on. But it hasn’t. No one uses that number 8 as far as we can tell. And why would they? Most Americans say they would avoid GMOs if they were labeled.

Some seed companies don’t even want gardeners to know which seed is genetically modified. One company that sells zucchini seeds outfitted with virus genes announced that they would refuse to sell seed packets in Vermont, since the state legislature requires GM seeds to be labeled.

2009 GM Crop Fact File

ARE GM CROPS TAKING OVER GLOBAL AGRICULTURE? 

• GM plantings make up a mere 2.4% of global agricultural crop land
• Nearly 80% of the global area planted to GM crops was in just three countries – the US, Argentina and Brazil
• The US alone plants over 50% of the world’s GM crops
• Less than 3% of cropland in India and China is planted with GM crops, almost exclusively just 1 crop – GM cotton

ARE GM CROPS EXPANDING IN EUROPE? 

• In the 27 countries of the European Union, GM crop cultivation represents a mere 0.21% of agricultural land
• The number of hectares of GM crops fell last year in Europe
• EuropaBio inflated the figures for GM crops grown in Europe by almost a quarter to mask the decline in the area of GM crops being grown has actually fallen in Europe every year since 2005.

WHAT GM CROPS ARE BEING GROWN? 

• Most investment has gone into a small number of crops and traits targeted toward large-scale commercial farming
• Only four crops – soya, maize, cotton and canola (oilseed rape) – comprise virtually 100% of GM agriculture
• GM rice, wheat, tomatoes, sweetcorn, potatoes and popcorn have all been rejected as unacceptable in the global marketplace
• GM papaya cultivation in Hawaii has been declining over several years.

DO GM CROPS MATCH THE HYPE? 

Regards,
Linda

Full article:
 http://www.seedsofdeception.com/GMFree/GMODangers/2009FactSheet/index.cfm

Excerpts:

2009 GM Crop Fact File

ARE GM CROPS TAKING OVER GLOBAL AGRICULTURE? 

• GM plantings make up a mere 2.4% of global agricultural crop land
• Nearly 80% of the global area planted to GM crops was in just three countries – the US, Argentina and Brazil
• The US alone plants over 50% of the world’s GM crops
• Less than 3% of cropland in India and China is planted with GM crops, almost exclusively just 1 crop – GM cotton

ARE GM CROPS EXPANDING IN EUROPE? 

• In the 27 countries of the European Union, GM crop cultivation represents a mere 0.21% of agricultural land
• The number of hectares of GM crops fell last year in Europe
• EuropaBio inflated the figures for GM crops grown in Europe by almost a quarter to mask the decline in the area of GM crops being grown has actually fallen in Europe every year since 2005.