April 11, 2001
		Greenpeace: Biotech Contaminating Organic Crops Greenpeace and organic food producers urged the Bush administration on Thursday, April 5, to stop the planting of genetically engineered crops, citing evidence that they are contaminating convention and organic crops. Arran Stephans, president of the organic Nature's Path Foods, says that "you cannot build a wall high enough'' to stop genetically modified organism crops from contaminating non-genetically engineered crops. Speaking to reporters, Stephens said, "We are calling for a moratorium on genetically engineered crops." Greenpeace's press conference came after the Wall Street Journal reported that it's sampling of 20 vegetarian products showed that five contained "substantial" amounts of the gene-spliced variety of soybean and 11 others contained traces of genetically engineered soybeans. The Wall Street Journal revealed that Yves Veggie Cuisine's vegetarian bacon tested positive for 40 percent of it's soybean product being from genetically engineered plants. A Yves representative told the newspaper that it paid an additional $500,000 last year to suppliers to guarantee non-genetically engineered soybeans. David Vetter, an organic farmer in Nebraska, said the biotech industry is placing huge financial burdens on his operation. "We spend $1,500 in testing to sell $4,000 worth of corn,'' Vetter said. "We believe that no matter how much testing we do, we cannot guarantee anything to be free of GMO contamination.''