It would be a great day if all food NOT grown in accordance with the strictest organic standards be so labeled.
-- Sincerely, David Smead http://www.amplepower.com On Tue, 8 Jul 2003, Laura Berman wrote: > Hi All, > I'm just passing this on fyi. > Laura > > --------------- > Laura Berman > Community & Agriculture Programs manager > FoodShare Toronto > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: News Update from The Campaign [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sun 7/6/2003 7:47 PM > To: Stephanie Weisenbach > Cc: > Subject: ACTION ALERT + EU passes new labeling legislation > > > > News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Dear News Update Subscribers, > > Representative Dennis Kucinich will soon introduce the Genetically > Engineered Food Right to Know Act of 2003 before the U.S. House of > Representatives. The food labeling legislation is one of six bills that > are designed to effectively regulate genetically engineered food that > Representative Kucinich is preparing to introduce. > > If you go to the following web page you can send an instant e-mail to > your House Representative asking him or her to co-sponsor these bills: > http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-house.php > > You are also encouraged to print out our form letter and mail it to your > House Representative. Letters sent by U.S. mail get much more attention > than e-mail. We suggest you both e-mail and send a letter by U.S. mail > to your House Representative for maximum impact. > > EU PASSES LABELING LEGISLATION > > On July 2nd, the European Union (EU) Parliament voted to approve the > tough new labeling legislation on genetically engineered foods. Since > 1998, the EU has had labeling requirements on some genetically > engineered corn and soy products. In 1998 they also enacted a moratorium > that stopped any new genetically engineered foods from being approved > for sale in the 15 EU nations. > > The new EU labeling laws will be very comprehensive. With implementation > of their labeling law, it is expected that the moratorium will be > discontinued. The next step is that the labeling legislation must be > approved by the European Council of Ministers. That is likely to happen > later this month. If approved, it will go into effect in September and > compliance will be required within six months. > > If you would like to read a 27-page report on the new EU regulations, go > to the following web page: > http://www.thecampaign.org/euregs070103.pdf > > Posted below are two articles that discuss the new EU labeling laws. The > first article from the New York Times is titled "Europe Acts to Require > Labeling of Genetically Altered Food." The second article from > Associated Press is titled "Labels for genetically modified food are a > political hot potato in the U.S." and gives the U.S. perspective on the > new EU legislation. > > STRATEGY FOR PASSING U.S. LABELING LEGISLATION > > Now that the Europeans have their new mandatory labeling legislation, it > is time for us to get ours passed in the United States. Polls > consistently > show that the vast majority of U.S. citizens -- 80 to 93 percent -- want > mandatory labeling on genetically engineered foods. Our job is to get > that message heard by our elected officials in Washington, DC. > > As you know, members of the U.S. Congress are elected by the citizens > of their legislative districts and states. Since we elect them, they are > supposed to primarily represent us, not the special interests of large > corporations. However, if members of Congress do not hear from the > people who elect them, they will often listen to corporate interests > that frequently provide large donations to their campaigns for > re-election. > > The good news is that if voters let their opinions be heard, most > members of Congress will go along with their desires. > > THE NUMBER ONE REASON WE HEAR FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON > WHY THEY HAVE NOT SUPPORTED LABELING LEGISLATION ON GENETICALLY > ENGINEERED FOODS IS THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED TO SUPPORT IT > BY ENOUGH VOTERS IN THEIR DISTRICT OR STATE. > > So it is essential to let our voices be heard. The best way to do that > is to send a letter by the U.S. Postal Service. Yes, a letter sent by > U.S. mail has the most impact. Personal letters are best, but form > letters are a very effective way to communicate. Plus, by asking people > to sign form letters, you can quickly get many others to communicate > their desire for labeling. Most people simply won't take the time to > write a personal letter. But, if asked, they will sign their name and > fill-in a convenient form letter. > > E-mails are quick and simple, but they do not nearly have the impact of > mailed letters. Sending e-mail to your members of Congress is better > than no communication at all, but letters are still a far superior > method to get the attention of our elected officials. > > Each one of you reading this News Update has the ability to generate > dozens or even hundreds of letters to members of Congress by circulating > form letters to your friends and associates. Your active participation > in getting those letters sent to Congress can make the difference > between success and failure. Having strong feelings on an issue is good, > but grassroots activism is not a spectator event -- it requires active > participation to be truly effective. > > This will be the first time the labeling legislation has been introduced > early in a Congressional session. We have about 15 months to get it > passed in this 108th Congress. Plus, 2004 is an election year which > provides some great advantages. Of significant impact is the fact that > Representative Dennis Kucinich is running for president: > http://www.kucinich.us > > Representative Kucinich's strong position on labeling and regulating > genetically engineered foods provides an excellent opportunity to get > this issue discussed in the upcoming election debates. Plus, the debate > over genetically engineered foods is a major trade issue since the > United States has filed a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against > the European Union. > > The Campaign will soon be sending out questionnaires to all the > presidential candidates asking their positions on the issue of > genetically engineered foods. We will inform you of the responses we > receive and post them on our web site. > > Please take part in the current ACTION ALERT by sending both an e-mail > and letter to your House Representative. Thanks! > http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-house.php > > 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:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > 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." > > ------ End of Forwarded Message > > > ______________________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's > services to community gardeners. 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