By Rick North of Durham, Oregon. Rick is the former executive vice president of the Oregon American Cancer Society and former project director of the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility's Campaign For Safe Food. Rick says, "I retired two years ago to confront the undue corporate influence of big money on our elections, government and most aspects of our lives."
I’m sitting here looking at a box of Trader Joe’s pancake mix.
On one side are nutrition facts identifying almost everything you’d want to know – calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, cholesterol, possible allergens like nuts, and all the ingredients. These are all of interest to consumers and most are required by the FDA to be listed.
What’s missing is any information about whether any of the ingredients identified – wheat, barley, soybeans, corn, oats, rice, milk – are genetically engineered (GE). This isn’t because of lack of consumer desire or interest. For decades, dozens of polls have found that the public overwhelmingly wants GE labeling, often over 80% or 90%.
So why no labeling for genetically engineered food? In a word, Monsanto.
The St. Louis – based corporation is the poster child for the revolving door in Washington, DC, where their executives have effectively infiltrated the federal government, turning it into little more than a rubber stamp for the growing and consumption of GE crops. This is in spite of the fact that there have been numerous credible scientific studies raising red flags on their safety for both humans and animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment