The use of genetically engineered foods without mandatory publicly transparent safety testing amounts to a massive science experiment on the health of New York families and children in the name of corporate profits. This is unacceptable.
Consumers should be provided the information necessary to make informed decisions when choosing food products for their families. This legislation requires that the information be provided through product labeling. Sign the petition to support GMO labeling in NYS!
Green Party of New York
www.gpny.org
For More Info: Howie Hawkins, 315 425-1019
Mark Dunlea 518 860-3725
Statement of Support for GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) Labeling (A3525)
The Green Party of New York urges the Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee to vote yes today on the GMO Labeling Bill A3525
Since we are what we eat, then there are few things more basic than our right to know what's in our food. The Green Party has always supported labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). 60+ countries have already enacted laws banning or mandating labeling of GMOs. The European Union has been labeling GMOs since 1998. Nationwide polls show that over 90% of Americans want GMOs labeled.
But as Greens we go beyond the right to know, to sharing deep concerns about the health and safety of genetically engineered food. More than a decade ago the Green Party of NY helped draft legislation for a moratorium on the planting on GMO crops in our state until health and environmental safety issues were resolved. The use of genetically engineered foods without mandatory publicly transparent safety testing amounts to a massive science experiment on the health of New York families and children in the name of corporate profits. This is unacceptable.
The Green Party 's concerns about the environmental impacts of genetically engineered foods include unintentional contamination of non-GMO and organic crops, loss of seed purity for our most important food crops and an overall increase in pesticide use, and the emergence of superweeds and superbugs that are now resistant to the chemicals used with GMO crops.
The Green Party's national platform reads "Applying the Precautionary Principle to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), we support a moratorium until safety can be demonstrated by independent (non-corporate funded), long-term tests for food safety, genetic drift, resistance, soil health, effects on non-target organisms, and cumulative interactions."
As the bill memo states, a variety of plants are being grown that contain genetically modified organisms, including corn, canola, cotton, wheat, apples and strawberries. It has been estimated that 60-70% of packaged grocery products contain some genetically modified organism ingredients. Consumers should be provided the information necessary to make informed decisions when choosing food products for their families. This legislation requires that the information be provided through product labeling.
