Genetically Engineered Foods Archives

Frankenfood legislation. Help? (Archive in GEF.)

Wow, I was glad to see this, and thought I should pass it along...
Again, if this speaks to you, please help spread the word!!
Be Well,
Misty L. Trepke
http://www.searching-alternatives.com

Kucinich Introduces Labeling Bill in House!

Dear Friends,

If you haven't already contacted your representatative
regarding these newly introduced bills, please do so. It
will only take a few moments of your time.

You can download a letter for your representative here:
http://www.thecampaign.org/national.php#write

You can also contact your representative by email, but a
letter, fax or phone call is more effective.

It's not just the food we eat today at stake, but the food
supply of future generations.

Thank you,
John Draper

News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
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Dear News Update Subscribers,

Great news! Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) introduced the
Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act of 2003 in the House of
Representatives on Friday. The bill number assigned to it is H.R.
2916.

In addition to the labeling legislation, Kucinich also introduced
five other bills that deal with the regulation of genetically
engineered crops.

Posted below are a press release from Kucinich that announces the
bills and a summary of the bills that includes the initial co-
sponsors.

The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods endorses all six
bills, but our primary goal is to get the Genetically Engineered Food
Right to Know Act passed into law. This 108th Congress runs through
October 2004 and we are entering into an election year. So the
climate has never been better for us to get Congressional action on
labeling genetically engineered foods.

If you do not see your member of the House of Representatives listed
as a co-sponsor on H.R. 2916, then your primary objective is to get
him or her to co-sponsor the bill. If your House Representative is
holding any public meetings in your area during their summer break,
you might want to attend such a meeting to request that he or she co-
sponsor H.R. 2916 - the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know
Act of 2003.

We will be updating our web site later this week to reflect the new
bill numbers for the legislation.

Craig Winters
Executive Director
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

The Campaign
PO Box 55699
Seattle, WA 98155
Tel: 425-771-4049
Fax: 603-825-5841
E-mail: mailto:label@thecampaign.org
Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org

Mission Statement: "To create a national grassroots consumer campaign
for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass
legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered
foods in the United States."

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Kucinich Introduces Bills to Label Genetically Engineered Food and
Protect Consumers

Six Bills introduced In The House of Representatives
To Provide A Comprehensive Regulatory Framework

Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), Co-Chair of the Congressional
Progressive Caucus, introduced six bills today that will provide a
comprehensive regulatory framework for all genetically engineered
plants, animals, bacteria, and other organisms.

The six bills include the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know
Act of 2003, which requires food companies to label all foods that
contain or are produced with genetically engineered materials and
instructs the Food and Drug Administration to conduct periodic tests
to ensure compliance. Also introduced today were the Genetically
Engineered Food Safety Act of 2003, the Genetically Engineered Crop
and Animal Framer Protection Act of 2003, the Genetically Engineered
Organism Liability Act of 2003, the Real Solutions to World Hunger
Act of 2003 and the Genetically Engineered Pharmaceutical and
Industrial Crop Safety Act of 2003.

"This is a basic consumer safety issue," stated Kucinich. " People
have a right to know what is in the food they are eating, and that
the food is safe. That is the goal of these bills. It is well past
time that Congress change current food safety and environmental laws
because the laws were not written with this technology in mind."

Combined Kucinich's bills would ensure that consumers are protected,
increase food safety, protect farmers rights, make biotech companies
liable for their products, and help developing nations resolve hunger
concerns.

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SUMMARY OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD LEGISLATION

H.R. 2916 - THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD RIGHT TO KNOW ACT OF 2003

Consumers wish to know whether the food they purchase and consume is
a GE food. Concerns include the potential transfer of allergens into
food and other health risks, potential environmental risks
associated with the genetic engineering of crops, and religiously
and ethically based dietary restrictions. Adoption and
implementation of mandatory labeling requirements for GE food
produced in the United States would facilitate international trade.
This bill acknowledges consumers have a right to know what GE foods
they are eating:

* Requires food companies to label all foods that contain GE material
and requires the FDA to ensure compliance with testing. Voluntary,
non-GE food labels are also permitted.

* A legal framework is established to ensure the accuracy of labeling
without creating significant economic hardship on the food production
system.

Cosponsors: Sanders (VT); DeFazio (OR); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI); Olver
(MA); Miller (CA); Honda (CA); Acevedo-Vila (PR); Brown (OH);
Gutierrez (IL); Nadler (NY); Owens (NY); Velazquez (NY); Waters
(CA); Watson (CA); Woolsey (CA); Kleczka (WI)

H.R. 2917 - THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD SAFETY ACT OF 2003

Given the consensus among the scientific community that genetic
engineering can potentially introduce hazards, such as allergens or
toxins, GE foods need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. The
possibility of such hazards dictates a cautious approach to GE food
approvals. However, FDA has glossed over the food safety concerns of
GE foods. This bill requires that all GE foods follow a strenuous
food safety review process:

* Requires FDA to screen all GE foods through the current food
additive process to ensure they are safe for human consumption
including a public comment period of at least 30 days.

* Requires that unique concerns be explicitly examined in the review
process, a phase out of antibiotic resistance markers, and a
prohibition on known allergens.

Cosponsors: DeFazio (OR); Sanders (VT); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI); Olver
(MA); Miller (CA); Honda (CA); Acevedo-Vila (PR); Gutierrez (IL);
Nadler (NY); Owens (NY); Velazquez (NY); Waters (CA); Watson (CA);
Woolsey (CA)

H.R. 2918. - THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROP AND ANIMAL FARMER
PROTECTION ACT OF 2003

Agribusiness and biotech companies have consolidated market power at
the same time as the average farmer's profits and viability have
significantly declined. Policies promoted by biotech corporations
have systematically acted to remove basic farmer rights. These
policies include unreasonable seed contracts, the intrusion into
everyday farm operations, and liability burdens. This bill provides
several farmer rights and protections to maintain the opportunity to
farm:

* Farmers may save seeds and seek compensation for failed GE crops.

* Biotech companies may not: shift liability to farmers; nor require
access to farmer's property; nor mandate arbitration; nor mandate
court of jurisdiction; nor require damages beyond actual fees; or
charge more to American farmers than they charge farmers in other
nations.

* Seed companies must: ensure seeds labeled non-GE are accurate;
provide clear instructions to reduce cross-pollination; and inform
farmers of the risks of using GE crops.

* EPA is required to take action to prevent resistance to Bt, an
important organic pesticide.

* The bill prohibits genetic engineering designed to produce sterile
seeds.

Cosponsors: DeFazio (OR); Sanders (VT); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI); Olver
(MA); Gutierrez (IL); Nadler (NY); Owens (NY); Velazquez (NY); Waters
(CA); Watson (CA); Woolsey (CA); Acevedo-Vila (PR)

H.R. 2919 - THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED ORGANISM LIABILITY ACT OF 2003

Biotech companies are selling a technology that is being
commercialized far in advance of the new science of genetic
engineering. Farmers may suffer from crop failures. Neighboring
farmers may suffer from cross-pollination, increased insect
resistance, and unwanted "volunteer" GE plants. Therefore, biotech
companies should be found liable for the failures of GE crops:

* The bill places all liability from negative impacts of GE organisms
squarely upon the biotechnology companies that created the GE
organism.

* Farmers are granted indemnification to protect them from the
liabilities of GE crops.

Cosponsors: DeFazio (OR); Sanders (VT); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI); Olver
(MA); Acevedo-Vila (PR); Gutierrez (IL); Nadler (NY); Owens (NY);
Velazquez (NY); Waters (CA); Watson (CA); Woolsey (CA)

H.R. 2920 - REAL SOLUTIONS TO WORLD HUNGER ACT OF 2003

The demand for mandatory labeling, safety testing, and farmer
protections do not constitute obstacles to the cessation of world
hunger. Economics remain the significant barrier to a consistent food
supply, and the development of expensive GE crops may only exacerbate
this trend. However, agroecological interventions have had
significantly more success in helping developing nations feed
themselves with higher yields and improved environmental practices,
all within reasonable costs for developing countries.

* To protect developing nations, GE exports are restricted to those
already approved in the U.S. and approved by the importing nation.

* The bill creates an international research fund for sustainable
agriculture research paid for the Sustainable Agriculture Trust
Fund, a small tax on biotechnology company profits.

Cosponsors: DeFazio (OR); Sanders (VT); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI); Olver
(MA); Acevedo-Vila (PR); Gutierrez (IL); Nadler (NY); Owens (NY);
Velazquez (NY); Waters (CA); Watson (CA); Woolsey (CA)

H.R. 2921 - THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PHARMACEUTICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
CROP SAFETY ACT OF 2003

A pharmaceutical crop or industrial crop is a plant that has been
genetically engineered to produce a medical or industrial product.
The new products are for medical or industrial purposes only and are
not intended for the food supply or released into the environment.
However, experts acknowledge that contamination of our food is
inevitable due to the inherent imprecision of biological and
agricultural systems. Contamination by pharmaceutical crops and
industrial crops pose substantial liability and economic risks to
farmers, grain handlers, and food companies.

* The bill places a temporary moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and
industrial crops until all regulations required in this bill are in
effect.

* The bill places a permanent moratorium on pharmaceutical crops and
industrial crops grown in an open-air environment and on
pharmaceutical crops and industrial crops grown in a commonly used
food source.

* The USDA shall establish a tracking system to regulate the growing,
handling, transportation, and disposal of all pharmaceutical and
industrial crops to prevent contamination.

* The National Academy of Sciences shall issue a report that explores
alternatives methods to produce pharmaceuticals or industrial
chemicals that do not present the risk of contamination.

Cosponsors: DeFazio (OR); Sanders (VT); Lee (CA); Conyers (MI);
Gutierrez (IL); Nadler (NY); Owens (NY); Velazquez (NY); Waters (CA);
Watson (CA); Woolsey (CA)

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If you would like to comment on this News Update, you can do so at
the forum section of our web site at:
http://www.thecampaign.org/forums

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