Congress Is Hearing Monsanto's 'Dream Bill' Next Week
Sarah Alexander
Next week, a U.S. House committee will hold a hearing on Rep. Mike Pompeo's (R-KS) bill that would kill labels for genetically engineered foods — even at the state level! Tell your Members of Congress to reject Monsanto's "Dream Bill"!
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), with about 300 member companies like Monsanto, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Smithfield, represents the largest food, beverage and biotech companies — and now on behalf of all these companies, they've gotten Rep. Pompeo to sponsor a bill that will prohibit states from creating their own laws on labeling genetically engineered (GMO) foods, while also making it illegal to create "mandatory" labeling at the federal level.
The GMA member companies have spent more than $90 million to defeat ballot initiatives on labeling genetically engineered foods in California, Washington, Oregon and Colorado. Instead of taking this fight state by state, the GMA would like to pass its bill through Congress to stop all genetically engineered food labels nation wide.
Even Vermont, Connecticut and Maine, which have already passed legislation to require labels on GMO foods, would not be allowed to enact their own laws if this passes! We know that more than 90% of people want labeling on foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients, and right now the Oregon ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods is in a recount because the vote is so close. In 2014 alone, more than 20 states have considered their own labeling laws, but the GMA's anti-labeling bill would nullify all of these efforts!
By genetically engineering food, these big companies are changing plants and animals in a way that could never happen in nature. Most of these crops are engineered to withstand heavy chemical applications or to produce their own pesticides. And these GMO crops are untested, unlabeled and could be unsafe, which is why we believe everyone has a right to know if their food has been genetically engineered.
The GMA bill already has 37 co-sponsors, and if your elected officials don't hear from you, they could be swayed by the GMA's deep pockets. What we need is for you and your friends, family and neighbors to speak out. Send an email to your U.S. Representative to let them know where you stand. Your lawmakers need to hear from you right away.
Thanks for taking action,
Sarah Alexander
Deputy Organizing Director
Food & Water Watch
act(at)fwwatch(dot)org
P.S. Our friends and allies from all over the country will be coming to DC next week to show opposition to this bill. Find out how you can get involved: http://orgcns.org/1qyIMuh