Sustainable Fairfax endorses a YES vote on Proposition 37 this November to label genetically modified foods (GMOs). The question is simple. Do we have the right to know what we are eating? Should consumers have the choice to eliminate GMO's from their diet, given the potential risks to themselves and their families?
Over 40 countries with 40% of the world's population believe we do have that right. These countries, including the entire European Union, Japan, India and China, require the labeling of genetically engineered food. And opinion polls show that 93% of Americans agree GMO foods should be labeled. The United States is behind the eight ball on this one, and a powerful industry lobby is trying to make sure it remains that way.
Pesticide and chemical companies like Monsanto are spending a million dollars a day to confuse voters and defeat Prop 37, reflected in a recent drop in poll numbers for Prop 37. According to the California Right to Know Coalition, the No on Prop 37 campaign has been caught misrepresenting Stanford University multiple times, misleading voters in the state voter guide (as stated in a press release by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), and bombarding the airwaves with misleading ads and false claims. The opposition even attributed a fabricated quote to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Over 80% of the conventional processed food sold in the United States contains GMO ingredients, including baby formula, cereal, ice cream, breads, salad dressing, and many other products. The FDA does not require safety studies for genetically modified food, yet studies show that GMOs can create new, unintended toxicants and increase allergies, and other serious health problems.
Changing a label requires minimal cost. The truth is that the industry does not want to disclose their use of GMOs for fear that consumers will make educated choices about what they eat, just as people from many other countries are able to do. Please vote YES on Prop 37!
Volunteers and donations are urgently needed. Sign up at the California Right To Know website.
