Vote to Label GMO’s

So as most of you know I’m part of a FANTASTIC group of Mom’s in a community called Mamavation.  Mamavation™ is a online docudrama and weight loss support group for moms in social media. It’s both a campaign and Virtual Sorority™ in one.

Leah posted on Mamavations site about the importance of Labeling GMO’s, and I wanted to share it with you.

One million. That is the amount of signatures it took to get GMO labeling on the California ballot. And it’s going to take a million more people to vote, give, and support the movement till the November election to win. Our basic purpose revolves around freedom and transparency. We have the right to know what is in our food. Label GMOs and give the people a choice.

The CA Right to Know Initiative, or Prop 37 on the California ballot, was created by the people. Several other states have tried and failed, but California is different because of the initiative process. California actually allows it’s own citizens to create laws. That means if enough people in the State think something is important enough, they can get it on the ballot for a vote with enough signatures.  In November, Californians will vote on whether they want packaged foods labeled with GMOs.

But what is a GMO?

According to the Institute for Responsible Technology, “A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process of taking genes from one species and inserting them into another in an attempt to obtain a desired trait or characteristic, hence they are also known as transgenic organisms. This process may be called either Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM); they are one and the same.”  In many instances, GMO seeds are both a poison and a food. They alter the seeds so they are also a pesticide. Already 50 nations and over 40% of the world’s population already have labeling laws. Countries such as China, all of Europe and soon India will label GMOs in their food. In America, we don’t have these freedoms yet. BUT more than 90% of Americans want to know what is in their food. They want to know if what they are eating contains a genetically modified organism (GMO).

Aren’t these things supposed to be tested first?

The FDA allowed GMOs into the food supply in the early 1990s without independent testing based what people with a commercial interest told them. In a nutshell, biotechnology companies said it was safe, so the FDA took their word for it. There has never been independent testing on whether GMOs are safe for human consumption in the US. There is no way to test for safety in the United States because it’s impossible. The vast majority of the population consumes it on a daily basis. It’s in about 95% of sugar beets, 94% of soybeans, and 88% of feed corn. So basically there is no control group. (That’s the group that you have to keep from eating GMOs in order to test for its safety.) Only labeling would provide the ability to do independent testing on human safety in the United States.

Do GMOs cause disease?

Since GMOs were approved by the FDA in the early 90s and entered our food supply we have seen some dramatic increases in diseases in children. According to Healthy Child Healthy World, we have had a 400% increase in food allergies, 300% increase in asthma, 400% increase in ADHD and a 1,500% increase in autism. I don’t like those statistics. 

Now what does this have to do with you?

California is a trend setter when it comes to the law. If you would like labeling in your own state, it’s in your best interest to support us here in California for two reasons. (1) California is in a very unique position to change the nation. If Prop. 37 passes, all companies creating packaged products will have to change their labeling. Most of these companies will consider doing this nationwide because it would be cost prohibitive not to. (2) California is a legal trend setter. Once this law passes in California, other states will be more likely to follow in suit.

Join us on Wednesday, October 17th from 10-11pm EST (7-8pm PST) for a twitter party helping to spread the word and educate voters on labeling GMOs in California. RSVP here,http://www.mamavation.com/2012/09/label-gmos-and-get-out-the-vote-in-california-twitter-party.html