The Just Label It campaign today launched a new video by Food, Inc. filmmaker Robert Kenner that empowers consumers to fight for their right to know what is in their food. The video, "Labels Matter," is the result of collaboration between the Just Label It campaign and Kenner's new project, FixFood, a social media platform that aims to empower Americans to take immediate action to create a more sustainable and democratic food system.
To date, more than 450 consumer, healthcare, environmental and farming organizations, manufacturers, retailers have joined the Just Label It campaign, which has generated more than 500,000 consumer comments calling on the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to label genetically engineered (GE) foods. The video seeks to garner more consumer awareness and participation by galvanizing one million consumers to comment to the FDA by mid-April, the date that the FDA's public comment period ends.
"Labels Matter" tells the story of three women who share a belief in the right to know, but for entirely different reasons. Heather Donatini is a pregnant woman who knows she is feeding her developing baby, as well as herself, with every bite. Luann Clark recently had heart surgery and has to closely monitor what she eats. Robyn O'Brien is a mother whose child developed an allergic reaction to breakfast. "As a mother of children with food allergies, the labeling of GE foods is especially important, as it would provide essential and possibly life-saving information for the food allergic population," said O'Brien, founder, Allergy Kids Foundation.
As the video connects with each woman, Kenner shows how the U.S. compares to other developed nations, including the European Union, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, and even China, where GE foods are labeled. The video notes that the vast majority of Americans (90 percent in most polls) believe GE foods should be labeled.
Gary Hirshberg, Chairman of Stonyfield and a founder of Just Label It, collaborated with Kenner to produce the video. "While the pros and cons of GE foods is debated, an entire generation is growing up consuming them," he said. "Until we have no doubt that GE crops are safe to eat, consumers should have a choice about whether we want to eat them. GE foods must be labeled. Consumers need to know." Hirshberg recently published "Label It Now," the first consumer guide to GE foods available at online booksellers. All proceeds of the e-book go to the Just Label It campaign.
The drumbeat for mandatory GE labeling is getting louder, as the FDA decides whether to approve GE salmon and a proposal advances at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deregulate corn engineered to be resistant to the herbicide 2,4-D, a major component in Agent Orange. You can join in asking the FDA to allow consumers the right to know what's in their food.
Follow Naomi Starkman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NaomiStarkman
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Since when is Manhattan the center of agricultural research and thought? They barely have green plants other than those in Central Park.
Drive through Iowa in July...more than 80% of what you see grown is GMO.
What the people want is this: "Contains GMO" or "Does not contain GMO". We will have it.
Just a few words added to the already existing label.
What is it like to live ones life in such fear of the truth?
2/4/2002: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1877-gm-food-safety-checks-inadequate-says-report.html
"Deadly Monopolies": Medical Ethicist Harriet Washington on How Firms are Taking Over Life Itself (DemocracyNow!) 10/31/11: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/10/31/deadly_monopolies_medical_ethicist_harriet_washington
$750 Million GMO Rice Settlement Moves Forward (Huff Po/AP) 12/15/2011: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/15/750-million-gmo-rice_n_1151982.html
USDA Conspires with Biotech Industry for Complete Deregulation of GMOs (Farm Wars): http://farmwars.info/?p=7553
Under Industry Pressure, USDA Works to Speed Approval of Monsanto's Genetically Engineered Crops (Truthout) 12/12/2011: http://www.truth-out.org/under-industry-pressure-usda-works-speed-approval-monsantos-genetically-engineered-crops/1323453319
Leaked Monsanto Document Reveals Worldwide GM Intrigue (Rense.com) 9/11/00: http://www.rense.com/general3/leaked.htm
WikiLeaks: US targets EU over GM crops (The Guardian) 1/3/2011: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops
SPAIN'S BIOTECH CROP UNDER THREAT: Wikileaks cable 5/19/2009: http://wikileaks.nl/cable/2009/05/09MADRID482.html
FRANCE AND THE WTO AG BIOTECH CASE: Wikileaks cable 12/14/2007: http://wikileaks.nl/cable/2007/12/07PARIS4723.html
Obama Deregulates GMO Crops Despite Supreme Court Injunction (Truthout) 6/2/2011: http://www.truth-out.org/obama-deregulates-gmo-crops-despite-supreme-court-injunction/1307023149
All The Genetically Modified Food You're Eating (Scientific American) 10/14/2011: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=infographic-all-the-genetically-mod-2011-10
Genetically Modified Crop on the Loose and Evolving in U.S. Midwest (Scientific American) 8/6/2010: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=genetically-modified-crop
Welcome to the Age of GMO Industry Self-Regulation (Mother Jones) 7/14/2011: http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/07/welcome-age-gmo-industry-self-regulation
Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe To Eat? (Mother Jones) 9/30/2011: http://motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2011/09/gmos-safe-eat
Hungary Destroys All Monsanto GMO Corn Fields (Natural Society) 9/20/2011: http://naturalsociety.com/hungary-destroys-all-monsanto-gmo-corn-fields/
A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health (International Journal of Biological Science) 2009: http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm
GMO conspiracy reaches highest levels of US Government: Wikileaks (Crisisboom) 2/26/11: http://crisisboom.com/2011/02/26/wikileaks-gmo-conspiracy/
Field-Evolved Resistance to Bt Maize by Western Corn Rootworm (Study) (Public Library of Science [PLoS]) 6/27/11: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3146474/?tool=pubmed
(More to follow)
We don't need anymore labeling rules just because of people with antiScience/antiGMO agendas.
Thumbs down on the backwards antiscience/antiGMO agenda of HuffPost.
Guest Blog: Ignacio Chapela On BASF’s Announcement to Move GMOs Out of Europe
http://rajpatel.org/2012/01/16/guest-blog-ignacio-chapela-on-basfs-announcement-to-move-gmos-out-of-europe/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rajpatel%2Fhome+%28RajPatel.org%29
yay!
"The announcement by BASF to transfer its (German) domestic plant biotechnology research and development activities to the United States is disastrous for Europe as a location for agricultural industries," Manfred Nuessel, president of cooperatives association DRV, said in a statement on Tuesday."
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6E8CH4HQ20120117
Many European farmers want GMO. It's sad people like you will prevent that with your hysteria and pseudoscience about GMOs.