Thank you for contacting me regarding genetically engineered foods.

In overwhelming numbers, public and private-sector scientists alike support the use of biotechnology because of the remarkable consumer benefits, safety, and the ability to produce food in a sustainable manner. Through sound scientific developments subject to rigorous regulatory framework, consumers both in the United States and abroad will continue to benefit from biotechnological advances as scientists find ways to overcome vitamin deficiencies, supply vaccines, and increase production while protecting fragile natural resources.

Advancements in genetic technology in the past two decades have helped to meet the demands of the world’s growing population. The innovations that will result from biotechnology represent solutions to many of the humanitarian and environmental challenges of our time, while keeping more money in the pockets of American producers and consumers through increased efficiencies and lower food costs.

To date, foods derived from genetically engineered products have not caused a single adverse health effect, according to the World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration. The labeling of such a product could falsely indicate a potential health risk to consumers.

Moving forward, I will continue to promote a science-based debate on how to maintain the necessary safeguards and focus our efforts to maximize safety and usefulness of this technology.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to continuing our conversation on Facebook and Twitter about the important issues facing Missouri and the country. I also encourage you to visit my website (blunt.senate.gov) to learn more about where I stand on the issues and sign-up for my e-newsletter.

Sincere regards,

Roy Blunt

United States Senator

0xxxx – Applies to all non-qualified produce and is generally presented without the leading “zero” digit. These are typically the conventionally grown produce items. You will typically see them on store shelves as 4 digit PLU codes.

8xxxx – Applies to Genetically Modified produce. If you see an 8 preceding the 4 digit PLU code, avoid this product!

9xxxx – Applies to Organic produce. If you see a 9 leading the PLU Code, this is an Organic product.

If you would like to see the PLU Code User’s Guide that I pulled this from, check out the link below. It’s a direct link to the PDF that contains this and more info about the PLU Codes used on the produce you buy.

Look items up by their PLU Code at http://www.plucodes.com/

Download and read the PDF Users Guide here: http://www.plucodes.com/docs/Users_Guide.pdf

2. Batteries: Rechargeable batteries and single-use can be recycled. Visit the Battery Solutions website or check with your local retailers. Some retailers (like Best Buy) offer recycling options for free in their stores.

3. Cardboard boxes: Contact local nonprofits and women’s shelters to see if they can use them. Or, offer up used cardboard boxes at your local Freecycle.org or on Craigslist.org for others who may need them for moving or storage. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes or more each month, UsedCardboardBoxes.com accepts them for resale. Most cardboard can also be recycled with your paper. We save boxes though, just in case we might need them later.

4. CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: Send scratched music or computer CDs, DVDs, and PlayStation or Nintendo video game disks to AuralTech for refinishing, and they’ll work like new: 888/454-3223, www.auraltech.com. They can also be used in art projects.

5. Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to your local Goodwill outlet or shelter. Donate wearable women’s business clothing to Dress for Success, which gives them to low-income women as they search for jobs, 212/532-1922, www.dressforsuccess.org. Offer unwearable clothes and towels to local animal boarding and shelter facilities, which often use them as pet bedding. Consider holding a clothes swap at your office, school, faith congregation or community center. Swap clothes with friends and colleagues, and save money on a new fall wardrobe and back-to-school clothes.

6. Compact fluorescent bulbs: Take them to your local IKEA, Home Depot, Best Buy stores for recycling.

7. Compostable bio-plastics: You probably won’t be able to compost these in your home compost bin or pile. Find a municipal composter to take them to at www.findacomposter.com.

8. Computers and electronics: Find the most responsible recyclers, local and national, at www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html.

9. Exercise videos: Swap them with others at www.videofitness.com.

10. Eyeglasses: Your local Lion’s Club or eye care chain may collect these. Lenses are reground and given to people in need.

11. Foam packing: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. Or, call the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council to find a drop-off site: 800/828-2214. For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers, 410/451-8340, www.epspackaging.org/info.html

12. Ink/toner cartridges: Recycleplace.com pays $1/each.

13. Miscellaneous: Get your unwanted items into the hands of people who can use them. Offer them up on your local Freecycle.org or Craigslist.org listserv, or try giving them away at Throwplace.com or giving or selling them at iReuse.com. iReuse.com will also help you find a recycler, if possible, when your items have reached the end of their useful lifecycle.

14. Oil: Find Used Motor Oil Hotlines for each state: 202/682-8000, www.recycleoil.org. In some locations, your trash pick up service might also offer to recycle your oil for free.

15. Phones: Donate cell phones: Collective Good will refurbish your phone and sell it to someone in a developing country: 770/856-9021, www.collectivegood.com. Call to Protect reprograms cell phones to dial 911 and gives them to domestic violence victims: www.donateaphone.com. Recycle single-line phones: Reclamere, 814/386-2927, www.reclamere.com.

16. Sports equipment: Resell or trade it at your local Play It Again Sports outlet, 800/476-9249, www.playitagainsports.com.

17. “Technotrash”: Easily recycle all of your CDs, jewel cases, DVDs, audio and video tapes, cell phones, pagers, rechargeable and single-use batteries, PDAs, and ink/toner cartridges with GreenDisk’s Technotrash program. For $30, GreenDisk will send you a cardboard box in which you can ship them up to 70 pounds of any of the above. Your fee covers the box as well as shipping and recycling fees. 800/305-GREENDISK, www.greendisk.com.

18. Tennis shoes: Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring. www.nikereuseashoe.com. One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti. www.oneworldrunning.com.

19. Toothbrushes and razors: Buy a recycled plastic toothbrush or razor from Recycline, and the company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. Recycline products are made from used Stonyfield Farms’ yogurt cups. 888/354-7296, www.recycline.com.

20. Tyvek envelopes: Quantities less than 25: Send to Shirley Cimburke, Tyvek Recycling Specialist, 5401 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Spot 197, Room 231, Richmond, VA 23234. Quantities larger than 25, call 866/33-TYVEK.

21. Items that can’t be recycled: When practical, send such items back to the manufacturer and tell them they need to manufacture products that close the waste loop responsibly.

As the summer has drawn on, I have come to realize that without the water system that is currently in place there would be no garden this year. It is truly amazing how much we take simple things in our lives for granted.

The tomato plants are thriving in the garden, at a height of 5′ now with all tomato plants that were planted in the ground. The Marglobe tomato plant is the only one we didn’t transplant & it’s producing tomatoes and new flowers still. Unfortunately, I did find a bamboo shoot growing up under one of the Cherokee Purple tomato plants. I chopped it down, but still need to keep a close eye on new shoots arriving in the garden bed. Apparently, earlier this spring when we began rehabbing the soil in the garden bed, we missed a bamboo rhizome.

The bell pepper plant is finally gaining some height. I’m sure we won’t get much from it this year as these plants take longer to fully develop, but maybe next spring! The winters here usually aren’t too rough.

We are also watching our Cantaloupe, Pumpkin & Water Melon plants grow at a very fast rate. Overnight on average, the Pumpkin plant alone grows about 2-3 inches longer. Give a plant enough dirt, and it can thrive anywhere. We discovered that about pumpkins last year when we found one growing in the cracks of the sidewalk in front of our house. It never produced a pumpkin, but it did produce a beautiful bunch of flowers!

We decided to fill in the remaining space in the garden bed with herbs. Hopefully none of them will over run the bed. Currently we have 3 varieties of basil (lemon, sweet & Italian), 2 varieties of mint and Lovage.