FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
13,500 letters to label genetically altered food
Consumers petition lawmakers to support legislation
Seattle, WA (December 12, 2003) — PCC Natural Markets is sending an estimated 13,500 letters from shoppers to the U.S. Congress, asking Washington Representatives and Senators to support labels on genetically engineered (GE) foods.
PCC members and other consumers signed and collected the letters in PCC stores over a three-and-a-half week period ending in November. The letters urge support for a bill before the U.S. House of Representatives known as H. R. 2916 "The GE Food Right to Know Act." If passed, it would require labels on GE foods. Washington 1st District Congressman Jay Inslee already has endorsed "The GE Food Right to Know Act."
A Senate version is expected to be introduced soon. PCC's letters encourage Washington's U. S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to support upcoming legislation as a mainstream concern.
Since 1997, more than 20 U.S. polls have shown strong support for labeling. ABC News recently reported that 92 percent of Americans want GE food labeled; Rutgers University found 90 percent, Harris Poll — 86 percent, MSNBC — 81 percent, and the Grocery Manufacturers of America — 92 percent. A 2001 poll by Oxygen/Market-Pulse found not only that 85 percent of Americans want GE food labeled, but also that only 37 percent of women would feed GE food to their children.
Readers may recall that a bill to label GE foods in Oregon State went down to defeat last year. In the last weeks of that campaign, biotech giant Monsanto and supporters poured $5.2 million into an ad campaign that reversed voter sentiment from strong support to defeat. The ads claimed that labeling GE foods would add significantly to the cost of food, an argument that PCC nutrition educator Goldie Caughlan refutes, "Every time there's a food labeling bill, that's what industry throws up as a strawman. It's a basic tactic to undermine and stop consumer protections."
The letters to lawmakers note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not testing GE food products and that no long-term human eating studies have been conducted. "The biotech companies determine whether their products are safe or whether they warrant analytical or toxicological tests," says the letters. "Even if companies acknowledge safety questions, ‘consultations' with the FDA are only voluntary. If the companies choose to talk with the FDA, they must present only summaries of their data."
The letters say it's just common sense that if the FDA says consumers must know if orange juice is fresh or from frozen concentrate, it's common sense to label foods with genes from another species.
PCC Natural Markets is the nation's largest consumer-owned grocery cooperative featuring natural foods. It is owned by nearly 40,000 consumer-members and has seven stores in the Seattle area.