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T
he Just Label It (JLI) Campaign announced on
March 27, 2012, that a record-breaking one million
Americans of all political persuasions called on the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration to label genetically engineered
(GE) foods. The campaign also announced a new national
survey revealing that Americans across the political spectrum
stand united in support of labeling food that has been
genetically engineered. This is a striking contrast to the partisan
divisions plaguing our political system.
IN THE KNOW
ABOUT THE “O”
Record-breaking One Million Americans Tell FDA:
We Have a Right to Know What’s in Our Food.
America wants GE foods labeled.
“In recent years, Americans have shown a real interest in
knowing more about our food and now there is a clear mandate
for the labeling of genetically engineered foods. This petition
asks the FDA to stand up for the rights of average Americans,
and not just a handful of powerful chemical companies. It’s
time for the FDA to give Americans the same rights held by
citizens in forty nations, including all of our major trade
partners, to know whether our foods have been genetically
modified. The FDA needs to restore confidence in our food
and our right to know about the food we eat and feed
our families,” said Gary Hirshberg, chairman of
Stonyfield Farms, a JLI partner.
“Pink slime, deadly melons, tainted turkeys, and BPA in our
soup have put us all on notice that what we eat and feed our
families is critically important,” said Ken Cook, President of the
Environmental Working Group, a JLI partner. “Americans
overwhelmingly demand safety, transparency and labeling of
genetically engineered foods. It’s time for the FDA to come
clean and restore public confidence in our food system.”
Since October, JLI (www.justlabelit.org), the national
campaign to require GE-food labeling and its more than 500
partner organizations, has spearheaded an historic number
of public comments for a GE-foods labeling petition (Docket
#FDA 2011-P-0723-001/CP). March 27 was the date when
FDA was required to respond to the petition. It took less than
180 days to accumulate the record number of comments.
New Survey Results: Motherhood, Apple
Pie and GE Food Labeling
Consumer support for GE-foods labeling in the
U.S. is nearly unanimous, according to the political
opinion survey on GE food labeling conducted by
The Mellman Group on behalf of JLI. Explained
pollster Mark Mellman, “Few topics other than
motherhood and apple pie can muster over 90
percent support, but labeling GE-foods is one of those
few views held almost unanimously.” The survey
found nearly all Democrats (93% favor, 2% oppose),
Independents (90% favor, 5% oppose) and Republicans
(89% favor, 5% oppose) in favor of labeling. The
study also revealed that support for labeling is robust
and arguments against it have little sway. (For the
survey findings, visit www.justlabelit.org).
Colorado mother and author Robyn O’Brien, who
founded the AllergyKids Foundation, a JLI partner, after one
of her children had an allergic reaction to breakfast, said:
“Americans are responding to the call for GE foods labeling
because they want more information for their families. Like
allergen labeling, GE-food labels would provide essential and
possibly life-saving information for anyone with a food allergy.
Being responsible for the health and safety of my children, I
believe it’s my right to know about the food I feed my family…
from allergens, to ‘pink slime’ to GE foods.”
www.ota.com
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