California Ballot Initiative to Require Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods (GMO) Submitted to Attorney General
by Pamm Larry
The grassroots ‘Committee For the Right to Know’ and a wide-ranging coalition of consumer, public health and environmental organizations, food companies, and individuals submitted the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act to the State Attorney General for title and summary, prior to circulation as an initiative measure for the November 2012 election.
The initiative would require genetically engineered foods (also known as Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs) and foods containing GMO ingredients to be clearly labeled, similar to current labels with other nutritional information.
Genetically engineered food is usually a plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered in a lab with genes from other plants, animals, viruses or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food. This genetic alteration is experimental, and is not found in nature.
The risk of genetically engineered foods is unclear, and unlike the strict safety evaluations required for the approval of new drugs, the safety of genetically engineered foods for human consumption has not been adequately tested! Recent studies show that genetically engineering food can create new, unintended toxic substances and increase allergies, cancer risks, and other health problems, especially for children. Experts agree, that by labeling genetically engineered food, we can help identify foods that cause health problems.
“Because the FDA has failed to require labeling of GMO food, this initiative closes a critical loophole in food labeling law. It will allow Californians to choose what they buy and eat and will allow health professionals to track any potential adverse health impacts of these foods,” says Andy Kimbrell, Director of the Center for Food Safety.
The two most common genetically engineered traits are the expression of an insecticide in the tissue of “Bt Corn” and the expression of a compound in “Roundup Ready Soy” which enables high doses of Monsanto’s Roundup® weed killer to be sprayed while the plant survives. As much as 85% of corn in the U.S. is genetically engineered. BT Corn is currently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency as an insecticide.
Robyn O’Brien, author and founder of the Allergy Kids Foundation says, “I support labeling genetically engineered foods because allergy-sensitive people can exercise caution with essential information to make informed decisions about what they eat.” Fifty countries including the European Union and Japan have laws mandating that genetically engineered foods be labeled, but the United States does not have such a requirement. Public opinion polls indicate that over 90 percent of California voters support the labeling of genetically engineered foods.
Efforts to enact labeling laws in Congress and the California legislature have been blocked by big food and chemical company lobbyists. This measure will take the issue directly to the people to decide whether genetically engineered foods should be labeled.
“These genetically engineered foods have been allowed into our food supply without warning, and they aren’t labeled,” says Pamm Larry, founder of the grassroots movement and the Committee For the Right to Know. “The bottom line is Californians have a right to know what’s in the food we eat and feed our children. It’s time to send a strong, direct message to those who govern us, whether they be agency or elected, that we want genetically engineered foods labeled.”
The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act was carefully and specifically written to avoid any unnecessary burden or cost to consumers or producers. California voters are expected to have the chance to vote on the initiative in November 2012.
Pamm Larry can be contacted at: press@labelgmos.org. She is the Founder of Label GMOs.org.
Santa Cruz & Monterey County
Label GMOs Schedule
Please attend one of the trainings listed below:
Santa Cruz Meetings:
to be held @ Westside New Leaf, 1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 96060 – (831) 426-1306:
Sunday, Dec. 11th at 3:30pm:
www.facebook.com/events/325868507429421/
Tuesday, Dec. 13th at 12:30pm:
www.facebook.com/events/178992598860012/
Sunday, Dec. 18th at 3:30pm
Tuesday, Dec. 20th at 12:30pm:
www.facebook.com/events/162850010479224/
Dec.16 – at the Rio Theatre (1205 Soquel Ave., SC): Go see the movie:
“Programming the Nation?”. Info below here (please let the Rio Theatre, etc. know that you read this in Connection Magazine. Thank you!
Interviews With:
Noam Chomsky, (MIT Linguistics), Dennis Kucinich, (R-Ohio, 10th Dist.), Amy Goodman, (Democracy Now!), Geoff Tate, (Queensryche), Mark Mothersbaugh, (DEVO), David Fricke, (Rolling Stone Magazine), Christopher Coppola, (Filmmaker), Eldon Taylor, (Author), Douglas Rushkoff, (Author), Mark Crispin Miller, (NYU Prof.), Ann Simonton, (Media Watch), etc.
Show Time: 7pm: Film, 8:30pm: Director’s Talk, 8:45pm: Q&A,Tickets: $5 in advance, $7 at the door.
Advance Tickets & info: www.programmingthenation.eventbrite.org
Tarah Locke is the GMO-Free Santa Cruz Coordinator: www.facebook.com/tarah.locke, (831) 246-1626, gmofreesc@gmail.com, UCSC Label GMO Coordinator: Kyle Fujisawa & Wayland He, gmofreesc@gmail.com, Santa Cruz High Label GMO Coordinator: Jessica Spevak, gmofreesc@gmail.com, facebook.com/nongmosantacruz, Twitter: CA 2012 Label GMO Ballot Initiative, www.Labelgmos.org
Monterey County – Wednesdays:
Dec 14th:
10:30am -12:30pm: training & meeting, The Works Coffee Shop, 667 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove
6pm – 8pm: training & movie, Pacific Grove High School Library, 615 Sunset Ave., Pacific Grove,1st hour is signature gathering training
2nd hour is movie, “Scientists Under Attack”.
Dec 21st: Call to confirm (831) 204-8633.
10:30am – 12:30pm: The Works Coffee Shop
6pm – 8pm: Pacific Grove High Library, Both meetings: 1st hour training, 2nd hour meeting.
Colleen is the coordinator for GMOs in Monterey County. For more information, call: (831) 204-8633, email labelgmomonterey@gmail.com or visit www.labelgmosmonterey2012.blogspot
A message from GMO Free Santa Cruz:
Tell Whole Foods & Trader Joe’s to support the labeling campaign here (especially, IF they want our business—for us to shop at their stores!!) in California. (Can you believe that they don’t support anti-GMOs??) Sign the petition and circulate on Facebook, Twitter, email:
www.change.org/petitions/whole-foods-trader-joes-support-the-campaign-to-label-gmo-foods-in-california
The sign-up Calendar is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Am0p0AvRdoKtdGJpUHVkY21VUlhkaEVDNUJrNU5PeUE&hl=en_US
Or, for Facebookers you can find most tabling events & sign up here: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=279604548740030.
Initiative: full pdf found at bottom of this link: www.labelgmos.org/initiative_filed_with_the_state
Support our “supporters”! (Please tell all Health Food Stores that you have read about GMOs for years in Connection Magazine. And, please encourage these stores to Advertise in this great magazine and that you appreciate what they are doing. Thank you!!)
Connection Magazine has been actively educating its readership for many years now about the dangers of GMOs. This magazine includes the schedule of meetings, events, etc. having to do with GMOs as well as continues to have educational info in about GMOs every month. You can get copies all over Santa Cruz & Monterey Counties. OR, read it online at their website:
www.ConnectionMagazineOnline.com. They appreciate participation & communication. Call them at: (831) 459-0522 or email:
awaken@connectionmagazineonline.com.
Thank YOU!
GMO Free Santa Cruz