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Here are some links to the organizations that work solely on helping protect us. You may want to check and see what each is doing and how you can help.
The information below is rather old, (especially regarding the petition), however, you might find some of it informative. |
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Do we have the ability to know if the food we buy has been genetically engineered? Not yet, but you can help change this!
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AWARENESS: One might not know that there is so much going on in this area. Regardless of making a decision whether this could be harmful to you, it seems reasonable that at the minimum products should be labeled so we can choose at the the time we shop. Below, there is a link to a petition you can sign if you believe this is not only reasonable, but prudent. (In May/June of 1999 it was on the news about a genetically altered crop of corn whose pollen ends up killing monarch butterfly larva... their response was that although this was an unforeseen side effect, we don't think it's enough of a problem to change what we're doing.... the question is, Does man really have enough knowledge and experience to tamper with basic genetics? How many "oops" to side effects like killer bees, etc. are we willing to accept? There are some that oppose the labeling of which foods have been tampered with. Perhaps they know it might influence our purchasing decisions and their pocket book. Genetically Engineered Crops The following is a list of genetically engineered crops that have already been approved for sale:
dairy products from cows injected with the genetically altered hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) Several agricultural inputs, such as soil bacteria that produce the Bt toxin, and a rabies vaccine have also been approved.
TO SIGN THE PETTION Consumer Right to Know&emdash;on to Washington in '99 Campaign: Sign the petition for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods on the Mothers for Natural Law website.
HOW LIVE LOVE LAUGH learned of this: The Email that Live Love Laugh received is copied here for additional information: This email has three parts: 1. Signing the Petition to Label Genetically Engineered (GE) Foods PART 1. PETITION Urgent! Please Sign the Petition for Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods at http://www.safe-food.org/-campaign/petition.html (See Info on GE Foods part 2 for petition text) AUSTRIA collected 1.2 million signatures in a WEEK! This is the UNITED STATES, let's go for 10 million! We can do this! PLEASE forward this message to everyone you know. Ask your customers, employees, friends, neighbors, colleagues or family members to sign TODAY! Three ways to sign petition: 1. On-line: http://www.safe-food.org/-campaign/petition.html 2. Phone: 1-877-REAL-FOOD 3. Hard copy. (print off website www.safe-food.org or call us for a copy) --------- Part 2 Do you eat? 1. Estimates state that 60% - 70% of food on our grocery shelves contain genetically engineered organisms. The biotech industry intends to genetically engineer all of the food in the world within 5 - 10 years. GE foods are NOT subjected to proper long-term safety testing before they hit the market and none of them are labeled. (REF: Congressional Quarterly, 9/98) 2. Last week, Time Magazine, the New York Times, USA Today, Good Morning America and most major media outlets across the US carried the news that Monarch butterflies died unexpectedly from eating milkweed plants that had been dusted with pollen from genetically engineered Bt corn. This finding is the most of recent of many unwanted and unintentional effects from genetically engineered foods. 3. GE can create unexpected and hard to detect toxins, allergens and reduced nutritional content in our foods. 4. The British Medical Association is calling for a moratorium on transgenic plantings. 5. In April, the seven largest grocery chains in six European countries made a public commitment to go "GE free"-to eliminate genetically engineered ingredients from their products and stores. 6. The Pope is warning of ethical implications. 7. 1300 UK schools have banned these foods from their cafeterias. 8. The European Union is demanding segregation and labeling of all GE imports. 9. Austria is fighting to be a biotech-free zone. Petition Text: Petition to Secure the Mandatory Labeling of All Genetically Engineered Foods Submitted to the President of the United States, Congress, USDA and FDA New substances are being introduced into our foods via a technology called genetic engineering. A growing number of scientists and physicians are voicing concern over the possible health and environmental risks from these foods. Current laws and policies do not require the food industry to label these new genetically engineered foods. Without labels consumers lose the freedom to choose what they will eat and feed their families. This petition upholds the right of consumers to make informed choices. We, the undersigned, as citizens of the United States of America, strongly urge the passage of legislation and policies to mandate the clear and accurate labeling of all foods derived from, processed with, containing or consisting of genetically engineered organisms before they are released into any and all commercial markets.
--------------- PART 3. NATIONAL SUMMIT on the Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods Submitting the Consumer Right to Know petition to the President, Congress, USDA, FDA, and EPA Thursday, June 17 Capitol Hilton Hotel, 16th & K Streets, NW, Washington, D.C. 9 AM to 12 Noon You are cordially invited to attend this national summit of eminent scientists and physicians, public policy experts, business and industy leaders, farmers, religious and spiritual leaders, and consumers to discuss the urgent need to safeguard our food supply from the hazards of genetic engineering. - Panelists - Science, Health, and Environment Sheldon Krimsky, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy, Tufts University Richard Strohman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley Rama Dwivedi, Ph.D., Associate Director, Targeted Mutagenesis Facility, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University Medical School John Hagelin, Ph.D., Director, Institute of Science, Technology, and Public Policy; Presidential Candidate, Natural Law Party; Conference Moderator Ronald David, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, D.C. General Hospital, Washington, D.C. Gary Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Clinical Neurophysiology, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine Agriculture, Economics, and Trade Bill Wadsworth, Technical Manager, Iceland Frozen Foods, Plc, United Kingdom; Former Chairman, Food Legislation Committee, British Retail Consortium; 1999 Corporate Conscience Award Winner, Council on Economic Priorities The Hon. Marie Rabideau, New Hampshire State Legislature; Sponsor of House Bill 291 that would ban "Terminator Technology" from New Hampshire Patrick McVeigh, Executive Vice President, Trillium Asset Management (formerly Franklin Research and Development) Steve Suppan, Ph.D., Director of Research, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Frederick Kirschenman, Ph.D., Owner, Kirschenman Family Farms; Member, National Organic Standards Board; Former member, USDA National Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Council Margaret Wittenberg, Vice President, Governmental and Public Affairs, Whole Foods Market, Inc.; Member, USDA/EPA Tolerance Reassessment Advisory Committee Susan Haeger, President, Citizens For Health Laura Ticciati, Executive Director, Mothers for Natural Law; National Coordinator, "Consumer Right to Know Campaign;" Conference Host Ethics and Religion Steve Druker, President, Alliance for Bio-Integrity Reverend Dr. Donald Conroy, Roman Catholic Priest; President, North American Coalition on Religion and Ecology Rabbi Alan Green, Association of Jewish Renewal Rabbis Reverend DeWitt Williams, Director of Health Ministries of North America, Seventh-Day Adventist Church Reservations and information: 1-877-732-5366 Sponsored by Mothers for Natural Law of the Natural Law Party Participation by panel members does not necessarily imply support for the Natural Law Party. Natural Law Party - Blair House Suite 525 - 8201 16th Street - Silver Spring, MD 20910 Please call, fax, email your federal Senators & Representatives and urge them to come to hear the concerns of these American leaders and to receive the petitions on behalf of the people of their state. INSERT HOT LINK GLO Thursday June 17 Capitol Hilton Hotel, 16th & K Streets, NW, Washington, D. C. 9am to 12 noon. They will come if they know their constituants are concerned about the issue. White House phone# 202-456-1414 Congress - Senate and House phone# 202-225- 3121 SIGNATURES WILL BE USED ONLY FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PETITION AND NOT FOR OTHER MAILINGS. For more information contact: Mothers for Natural Law of the Natural Law Party of the USA P.O. Box 1177 - Fairfield, Iowa 52556 Phone 515-472-2809 - Fax 515-472-2683 E-mail: mothers@safe-food.org Internet: www.safe-food.org PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TODAY TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. THANKS SO MUCH. TO SIGN THE PETTION Consumer Right to Know&emdash;on to Washington in '99 Campaign: Sign the petition for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods on the Mothers for Natural Law website.
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