A Bi-Partisan letter is being circulated in Congress for Senators and Representatives to urge FDA to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. This letter will support the Legal Petition filed with FDA in October on behalf of over 400 organizations and businesses to require the labeling of GE foods.

Urge YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO Sign the “Dear Colleague” Letter being circulated by Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Peter DeFazio. You can see the entire letter to FDA here, but the last paragraph tells it all:

“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. FDA has a clear opportunity to protect a consumer’s right to know, the freedom to choose what we feed our families, and the integrity of our free and open markets with this petition.”

TAKE ACTION NOW:

CALL your Senators and Representative.
Call the US Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
or go to: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

TELL THEM:

“Please sign on to the bi-partisan ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter to FDA being circulated by   Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Peter DeFazio to require GE LABELING. “

Background
In October 2011 a formal legal petition was filed with the FDA on behalf of over 400 organizations and businesses to require the labeling of GE foods.

The petition demands that FDA:
1. Issue new regulations requiring labeling of all foods produced using genetic engineering; and
2. Issue a new policy redefining a “material” fact as a change in food at the atomic, molecular, or genetic level that a significant share of consumers would find relevant to their purchasing decisions

On the grounds that, among other reasons:
1. Unlabeled GE foods are misleading, and therefore prohibited
2. A broader interpretation of “material” facts is both permissible and necessary
3. Consumers have a judicially recognized “right to know”
4. The patentability of GE foods demonstrates they are materially different from conventional foods
5. The lack of any independent testing or review by FDA supports requiring labeling
6. The demonstrated adverse environmental impacts of GE crops support requiring labeling

HAVE YOU SIGNED ON TO SUPPORT THE FDA PETITION?

GO TO JUST LABEL IT.ORG and Write FDA TODAY!

Want more information? See these great resources from the Center for Food Safety:

Labeling GE Foods: “Myths vs. Realities”

Issue Brief: Labeling Genetically Engineered Foods

For the specifics on how to take action, download this action alert from the National Organic Coalition (Equal Exchange is a member).

For more details on the legislation, see this update from the Executive Director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.