Tech | March 13, 2012 | 27 comments

Fifty-five members of Congress call on FDA to require labelling of genetically engineered foods

source: http://truefoodnow.org/2012/03/12/fifty-five-members-of-congress-call-on-fda-to-require-labe...

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JanforGore
In Only 6 Months, Already 850,000+ Public Comments To FDA In Support Of Labeling

This morning a bicameral letter signed by 55 Members of Congress was sent to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg calling on the agency to require the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. The bicameral, bipartisan letter led by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) was written in support of a legal petition filed by the Center for Food Safety (CFS) on behalf of the Just Label It campaign and its nearly 400 partner organizations and businesses; many health, consumer, environmental, and farming organizations, as well as food companies, are also signatories. Since CFS filed the labeling petition in October 2011, the public has submitted over 850,000 comments in support of labeling.

“Consumers are being misled about the foods they are purchasing,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director for the Center for Food Safety. “FDA’s two-decade old decision is bad policy based on outdated science and must be revoked. The American consumer deserves the same fundamental freedoms and choices of other nations’ citizens.”

In the U.S. there is overwhelming public demand—consistently near 95%—for the labeling of GE foods. The U.S. policy of not requiring GE labeling makes it a stark outlier among developed and developing nations. Nearly 50 countries have mandatory labeling policies for GE foods including South Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, China, Australia, New Zealand, the entire European Union, and many others.

In its 1992 policy statement, FDA allowed GE foods to be marketed without labeling on the basis that they were not “materially” different from other foods. However, the agency severely limited what it considered “material” by targeting only changes in food that could be recognized by taste, smell, or other senses – applying 19th century science to the regulation of 21st century food technologies. The outdated standard has no legal basis in the statute and was adopted by FDA despite a lack of scientific studies or data to support the assumption that GE foods are not materially different from conventional foods.

The Congressional letter to FDA states:

At issue is the fundamental right consumers have to make informed choices about the food they eat…The agency currently requires over 3,000 other ingredients, additives, and processes to be labeled; providing basic information doesn’t confuse the public, it empowers them to make choices. Absent labeling, Americans are unable to choose for themselves whether to purchase GE foods…. We urge you to fully review the facts, law, and science, and side with the American public by requiring the labeling of genetically engineered foods as is done in nearly 50 countries throughout the world.

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27 comments // Fifty-five members of Congress call on FDA to require labelling of genetically engineered foods

  • bfreewithrp
    • 0
      bfreewithrp  

    • Presently, Obama Care is in review by the courts in Washington. Obama promised the people before his election in '08 that he would make it law to add GM products to package ingredients when elected. Nothing was done. Should we elect a man who breaks promises?

    • 1 year ago
  • bfreewithrp
    • 0
      bfreewithrp  

    • Do we trust Obama? He said he would list GE [genetically engineered] content in food ingredients listings. Nothing has been done during his four year administration. Over 95% of Americans want it done.

    • 1 year ago
  • JoanneJ
  • JanforGore
  • bfreewithrp
  • artemis6
    • +1
      artemis6  

    • This had better be MORE than just a token , the dems have lost any credibility , lets see something PASSED , and SIGNED into LAW , you lazy treacherous curs !

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • artemis6:

      Not only that but they can't allow Monsanto and other companies to word the labels themselves in order to make this just a gesture. I would be curious to see what the labels would look like and what they would say.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
  • freehit
    • +3
      freehit  
    • JanforGore:

      Well considering that the tobacco lobby suceeded in destroying the warning label on cigarettes we won't be seeing pictures of deformed babies or rotting innards on GM food, that's for sure. Remember how (once) we were told to wash fruits and vegatables to remove the pesticides? How the hell do you remove the pesticides when they're added at the cellular level????

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +2
      JanforGore  
    • artemis6:

      Not only that but they can't allow Monsanto and other companies to word the labels themselves in order to make this just a gesture. I would be curious to see what the labels would look like and what they would say.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
  • lazloman
  • ecoalex
    • +1
      ecoalex  

    • Obama loves Monsanto and GM foods.He eats organic in the White House,but GM food is fine for the rest.

      Our government is captured.Until this changes ,we're screwed.

    • 1 year ago
  • queenofit
  • queenofit
    • +1
      queenofit  

    • Well, it is a start, and that is great news. I would love to see the petition numbers continue to grow. Would be great to see one millions sigs. More sigs from our members of congress too. But, as you say Jan, this is a good start indeed. Up and away from here.....

    • 1 year ago
  • Tayllerand
  • Tayllerand
    • 0
      Tayllerand  

    • Aspartame aka Neotame , Sodium Flouride, Mercury, Lithium .... you name it.
      Microwave guns , aluminum. What the hell we are full of so many sheets. This is Zombie Land.

    • 1 year ago
  • artemis6
    • +2
      artemis6  

    • Yeah ! I don't like eating stuff , when i don't know what it is ... ESPECIALLY the FREAKY ( and NOT in a good way ) they got passing itself off as "food" .

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • cont.
      The 45 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to join the letter are: Peter DeFazio (OR-4), Richard Hanna (NY-24), Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), George Miller, (CA-7), Louise Slaughter(NY-28), Keith Ellison (MN-5), Raul Grijalva (AZ-7), Peter Welch (VT-At Large), Hansen Clarke (MI-13), Earl Blumenauer, (OR-3), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), Anna Eshoo (CA-14), Sam Farr (CA-17), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Chellie Pingree (ME-1), Jim McDermott WA-7), Madeleine Bordallo (GU-At Large), James Moran (VA-8), John Olver (MA-1), Jared Polis (CO-2), Charles Rangel (NY-15), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), Pete Stark (CA-13), Howard L. Berman (CA-28), Robert Brady (PA-1), David Cicilline (RI-1), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-11), Steve Cohen (TN-9), Dianne DeGette (CO-1), Bob Filner (CA-5), Barney Frank (MA-4), Luis Gutierrez (IL-4), Janice Hahn (CA-36), Michael Honda (CA-15), Barbara Lee (CA-9), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), James McGovern (MA-3), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Jackie Speier (CA-12), John Tierney (MA-6), Melvin L. Watt (NC-12), Lynn Woolsey (CA-6), Maxine Waters (CA-35), and Grace Napolitano (CA-38).

      The 10 Members of the U.S. Senate to join the letter are: Barbara Boxer (CA), Patrick Leahy (VT), Bernie Sanders (VT), Daniel Akaka (HI), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Ron Wyden (OR), Mark Begich (AK), Jon Tester (MT), Richard Blumenthal (CT), and Jeff Merkley (OR).

      The bicameral letter was supported by more than 70 businesses and organizations including Stonyfield Farm, the National Cooperative Grocers Association, the National Organic Coalition, Beanitos, Inc., Consumers Union, Organic Valley, PCC Natural Markets, the Organic Farming Research Foundation, and a number of farming and fishing associations.

      The public comment period on the petition to label genetically engineered foods closes March 27th, 2012.

    • 1 year ago
  • coolplanet
  • artemis6
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • artemis6:

      Yes, the fact that we have to constantly apply so much pressure in order for them to do their job is a scathing indictment of Congress in general. I say too, it's about time since they have been sucking up to agribusiness all of these years on all sides save for Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders and a couple others. Hopefully we can get more.

    • 1 year ago
  • coolplanet
    • -1
      coolplanet  
    • JanforGore:

      Politics matters more than you give it credit.
      The only reason Obama is kissing ass is because the left of his party isn't satisfied with anything he does and left.
      We would not be in this horrible mess today had democrats prevented the tea party from taking over in 2010.
      Sadly politics is how our world presently operates. Ignoring this sad reality is like pissing in the wind.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +2
      JanforGore  

    • This is a good start. Only a couple of years ago GMOs were not even in the discussion in Congress. I was happy to be one of the 850,000 comments sent in to the FDA. The only way they will do their job right is for us to keep the pressure on.

    • 1 year ago
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