Tell the Manipulators to Stop
Lobbyists Tell Govt to Oppose Science, Safety, Free Market
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In their continuing war against a free market, corporations have urged Congress to hand out taxpayer money as new, increased corporate welfare giveaways for the purpose of forcing the spread of genetically engineered (GE) crops and foods. Here is a new action alert on the subject. If this amendment passes and the bill becomes law, taxpayers would be forced to fund efforts in favor of GE foods, and it would become illegal for you to know whether your food contained GE ingredients, illegal to know whether dolphins were killed in producing a can of tuna fish, illegal to know how long a product's ingredients sat out in the open, and even illegal for states to pass food safety laws. We favor a free market, and a necessary part of that is full information and disclosure. People have to be allowed to choose food safety. Please contact your Senators as described below. |
WASHINGTON DC -- Today the Farm Bill is finally going to the Senate floor, and your Senators are being pressured to act swiftly. The Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle, is pushing to quickly pass the Farm Bill, despite amendments and secretive provisions that could severely impact your right to know as a US citizen and an autonomous decision maker. The Farm Bill also contains language that would impact the environment and put food security measures at risk.
You can make a difference, however. Please contact your Senator to oppose the following in order to protect your health and freedom as a US citizen!
OPPOSE SA 2606: THE NATIONAL UNIFORMITY FOR FOOD ACT
This broad, poorly written amendment would prohibit states from providing critical information to consumers. Under this language, nearly any information used to differentiate one food product from another could be prohibited if that information even implies a health difference. This is a serious loss for both consumers and the environment.
What would consumers and states lose? Here are some examples of rights that would be taken away:
1. THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE THEIR FISH ARE CAUGHT. More states have become aware of the problems caused by salmon farming, including the spread of diseases and impacts of antibiotic use on both the farmed fish and the greater ecosystem. Surveys in California show that people want to know how fresh their fish are, and how they were caught, because they care about their health and the health of the oceans. Consumers want to know if their fish are farmed or wild and where the fish come from so they can make informed choices about their diet. SA 2606 would prevent labels indicating where and how fish are caught.
2. THE RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS. The FDA is still floundering about the health impacts of GMOs, despite sufficient evidence of the need for tighter precautionary measures around this technology, still in its developing stages. Because the FDA has not responded to the massive number of public comments demanding labeling and pre-market safety testing, some States have initiated their own policies that could better provide human health and environmental safeguards for their constituents. These citizen protection measures would be nullified under the amendment.
3. THE ABILITY OF STATES TO ACT WHEN THE FDA HAS FAILED TO DO SO. States have the ability to respond more quickly than the Federal Government to the wishes of their citizens. Through S.2606, States would no longer have this ability to regulate food and drugs, despite the wishes of the State legislatures. All authority would be centralized under the Federal government.
A growing number of Americans are demanding informative food and drug safety labels. Please contact your Senators today to oppose S.2606!
OPPOSE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY ON GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS, SECTION 333 OF S. 1731, THE AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND RURAL ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2001.
This provision amends the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 by adding a "Biotechnology and Agricultural Trade Program." It allows taxpayers' money to be used for establishing a program to force foreign acceptance of agricultural biotechnology and United States agricultural products developed through biotechnology. The provision allocates $16 million a year to promote genetically engineered foods in foreign markets! Click here to read Section 333.
If Citizens can get enough Senators to agree to oppose Section 333, California Senator Barbara Boxer has agreed to make a motion to eliminate this section.
To send email to your Senators, simply click http://www.thecampaign.org/alertS333.htm
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TIPS ON TELEPHONING YOUR SENATORS:
You don't have to know the phone number. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask for your Senator's office. Remember that a staff member, not the member of Congress, often takes telephone calls. Ask to speak with the aide who handles the "Farm Bill" issues. After identifying yourself, tell the aide you would like to leave a brief message, such as: "Please tell Senator (Name) that I oppose (S.___)." You will also want to state reasons for your opposition to the bill. Ask for your Senator's position on the bill. You may also request a written response to your telephone call. |
For additional information:
The Center for Food Safety
660 Pennsylvania Ave., SE , Suite 302
Washington, DC 20003
www.centerforfoodsafety.org
www.foodsafetynow.org
www.gefish.org
www.gefoodalert.org
ph: 202-547-9359
fax: 202-547-9429
| Be sure to see Fred Foldvary's editorial on Genetically Manipulated Food |
Will you take action in favor of science, safety, and a free market? Oppose SA 2606, and oppose Section 333 of bill S.1731 today! Tell your views to The Progress Report:
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