Heather Callaghan
Activist Post
Almost exactly one year ago, I wrote about a new federal bill that would shut down the ability of the states to decide separately whether or not to label products that contained genetically engineered ingredients. Opponents aptly call it the DARK Act – Denying Americans the Right to Know…
Although sponsored by Rep. Pompeo, HR 1599 is the delight of the Grocer’s Manufacturer’s Association (GMA) – which supports corporations like Monsanto, Nestlé and Dow et al. The “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014” fizzled out last year, but the GMA worked to get it introduced in the current Congress.
Weston A. Price Foundation calls it “Monsanto’s dream bill” because “it would allow big corporations that make and use GMOs to continue to hide them from consumers, keeping Americans in the dark about what is in their food.” At the federal level….forever.
Readers have expressed differing opinions on the politics of labeling and how it should be handled. Really, you should know this one thing: once the door shuts on labeling it remains shut forever. That’s the goal. You won’t ever be able to assume that you know what you’re eating again or be able to reasonably assume in the future that you can avoid GMOs. Remember that there are many more GE products in the pipeline, ready to populate the Earth, whether there’s a market for them or not.
In other words, by force and by fraud. HR 1599 is simply closing the door on state-level solutions that consumers turned to because of FDA absurdity. It pretends to help with safety and accuracy by using a “hollow voluntary labeling scheme.” Then it turns around and forces natural farmers to label their products non-GMO at their expense through a USDA program. Does that make any kind of sense to you??
Weston A. Price Foundation cautions (emphasis mine):
Voluntary Labeling is a Proven Failure
While we usually support voluntary programs over mandatory programs, when it comes to GMOs, this is the wrong approach. There has already been voluntary labeling for the last 13 years — and not one company has voluntarily labeled its products as containing GMOs.
As long as Americans don’t realize that GMOs are in their food, they’ll keep buying these companies’ products. This isn’t how the free market is supposed to work — this is essentially fraud!
This is a ridiculous point in time for America – with what’s left of its consumer-driven economy – to have to pull teeth and beg to know what’s in their food. It is akin to begging food companies to stop lacing your children’s oatmeal with lead and asking repeatedly for the privilege of a label – a compromise if there ever was one. Since the GMA and GMO corporations know that labeling could mean the lack of purchase, this bill will assure that you have no choice. No recourse.
Aside from firmly rejecting these products and helping oneself individually while funds are available – a small amount of effort can go to making adamant demands from your Representatives to oppose HR 1599, letting them know what will happen with their job if they don’t listen, and making sure to follow through. (Tweet at them, too, if you’re on Twitter.)
Find them at www.house.gov or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Get your sample letter HERE, but please consider writing your own.
Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook.
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