Environmentalists Applaud Move by Sen. Boxer to Seek
Genetically Engineered Food Labeling
February 23, 2000
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ via NewsEdge
Corporation - U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) today
introduced legislation that would require labeling of
genetically engineered (GE) foods on supermarket
shelves.
The legislation affects foods with genetically engineered
ingredients, or foods processed with genetically
engineered material. Popular products that would likely
require labeling include Frosted Flakes (GE corn),
Coca-Cola (GE corn syrup), Hershey's chocolate (GE soy
used in lecithin), Heinz ketchup (GE tomatoes, GE corn
syrup).
"Sen. Boxer just gave voice to over 30 million more
Americans who want to know if the food they are eating
has been manipulated," said Larry Bohlen, director of
Friends of the Earth's Safer Food-Safer Farms Campaign.
"As long as this stuff is on the shelf, citizens should be
able to choose whether or not they want to promote
biopollution like genetically engineered corn."
The Boxer legislation is similar to labeling legislation
introduced in the House by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)
in November 1999. The Kucinich legislation now has more
than 40 co-sponsors. Other Congressional action has
included a letter to the FDA by 49 House members led by
Rep. David Bonior (D-Wis.) in October calling the failure of
FDA to require labeling an "important food safety and
consumer protection matter." Their letter stated that the
"current FDA policy regarding genetically engineered or
modified food is flawed."
The Boxer bill introduction comes just as the FDA is
planning to release its decision on labeling and safety
testing of genetically engineered foods after a series of
field hearings in November and December.
A diverse, nationwide set of organizations including
religious, farm groups, consumer groups, and
environmentalists has emerged to call for labeling and
safety testing of GE foods.
For more information on the Safer Food-Safer Farms
campaign, go to www.foe.org/safefood
---- For instructions on joining, leaving, or otherwise using the Ban-GEF list, send email to Ban-GEF@lists.txinfinet.com with HELP in the SUBJECT line.Search the archives (since '97) at http://www.txinfinet.com/ban-gef/, or go to a recent day's digest at http://www.txinfinet.com/ban-gef/00/. Updated weekly. ----
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest". To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
All messages to sanet-mg are archived at: http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Mar 12 2000 - 14:00:29 EST