If you are like many Northeast Cobb residents, you shop at Whole Foods Market for organic produce and all-natural products. But a recent USDA decision to allow planting genetically-eningeered (GE) alfalfa without restrictions may contaminate organic and non-genetically engineered crops, affecting products sold at Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Farm.

According to The Huffington Post, top executives from those companies have said they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, and are prepared to cut a deal for "coexistence" with Monsanto and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Walter Robb & Margaret Wittenberg posted a Jan. 28, 2011 update on the Whole Foods Market blog, "We are very disappointed in the USDA’s decision to deregulate GE Alfalfa with no conditions (meaning no restrictions to support coexistence). Planting GE alfalfa without restrictions may cause potential contamination of organic and non-genetically engineered crops. Despite this setback, Whole Foods Market will continue to be strong advocates for non-GE foods, their clear labeling and offering them in the marketplace."

Paige Brady, spokeswoman for Whole Foods Market, released this statement (in part), "Whole Foods Market, along with the National Cooperative Grocers Association, the National Organic Coalition, the Organic Trade Association, Organic Valley, Stonyfield Farms, United Natural Foods and many others in the organic community, were trying to secure protections for organic farmers so biotechnology companies for the first time would be held accountable if GE crops polluted non-GE crops and would be forced to pay for the damages. (No money would ever go to us!) We were also pushing for measures to protect seed purity so that non-GE alfalfa supplies could be maintained."

Brady also said that Whole Foods Market and other organic companies are not joining forces with the biotechnology industry (Monsanto). Whole Foods Market wants to ensure the availability of non-GE foods in the marketplace.

Consumers such as Tricia Brown are concerned that Monsanto's genetically engineered crops will spread toxic genes on crop land and be unsafe to consume.

"I am shocked to learn this. I shop at Whole Foods because I want organic, pure fruits and vegetables. The idea of eating anything genetically modified scares me. There has not been enough studies done to determine the long-term effects of eating genetically modified foods," Brown told Northeast Cobb Patch while she shopped at Whole Foods.

Approximately two-thirds of the products sold by Whole Foods and its main distributor, United Natural Foods, are not certified organic, but rather are conventional foods presented as "natural," The Huffington Post reports.

Less than 1 percent of American farmland is certified organic, but consumers have boosted organic and "natural" purchases to $80 billion annually, approximately 12 percent of all grocery store sales, reports The Huffington Post.

The Organic Consumers Association has launched a truth-in-labeling campaign to stop Monsanto and other biotech companies from feeding unlabeled genetically modified organisms to animals and people.

To help organize or coordinate a Millions Against Monsanto and Factory Farms truth-in-labeling campaign in Northeast Cobb, sign up here.

To demand that the nation's largest supermarket chains adopt truth-in-labeling practices sign and circulate this petition.

Correction: It has come to the attention of Northeast Cobb Patch that Whole Foods Market's position on the issue of genetically-engineered crops was inaccurate. We are pleased to provide an updated, corrected article including Whole Foods Market statements. We apologize for the error.