Got Milkweed?

As first graders studied about the dangers monarchs face, they learned the great threat to the monarch butterfly is habitat devastation. They also learned the cause for this is the use of chemicals like herbicides and Round Up killing their primary food source, milkweed. Below are two signs we carried in the Halloween Parade to share our message with the AFS community.

One day a first grader noticed the NON GMO label with a little monarch butterfly on milkweed. They wondered if that meant that kind of food kills milkweed and monarchs and were concerned. We researched this and they found out foods with this symbol mean they are not grown with GMO’s, genetically modified organisms, which allows crop fields to be sprayed with herbicides to kill all weeds but not the gmo crops. As a result the milkweed is being wiped out as well.

They learned this is very bad for the monarch habitat, milkweed. They began noticing these symbols on many of their food packages and they began bringing them to school with excitement and hope for the monarchs. We began to display them.

Then a student saw the symbol on their yogurt from our cafeteria, the Danimals yogurt pictured below. They were so excited and happy that Chef Chris offered this and decided to write him a letter to thank him. He was thrilled to get their letter and said he will do his best to buy more products that are non-gmo to help!

First graders have been reassured it is okay to have foods that are not non-gmo but have learned it is a better choice for our beautiful monarchs, our planet and us.

Thank you for supporting our interest in this! It is inspiring to witness your children’s passion about making a difference!