Please folks, take a moment to contact the FDA, Lester Crawford, specifically, and tell them you are in favor of labeling GMO food products.
Direct phone calls and paper letters/faxes are more effective than email. Lester Crawford Deputy Commissioner Food and Drug Administration Parklawn Bldg. Room 1471 Mail stop HF-1 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, Maryland 20857 Crawford's phone 301-827-2410 fax 301-443-3100 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.fda.gov/comments.html 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) -- main FDA Phone Number (for general inquiries) Paco John Verin > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Alliums > Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 7:27 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [cg] USA Today: FDA tries to remove genetic label before it > sticks > > > Hi, Folks! > > Very interesting article from USA Today about the FDA's > disagreement with > the proposed Oregon GE labeling law which is to be voted on > by referendum > in the upcoming election. > > Dorene > > Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator > St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden > > A mission of > St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, > Phoenixville, PA 19460 > > > >FDA tries to remove genetic label before it sticks > >By Elizabeth Weise USA TODAY > > > > > >PORTLAND, Ore. -- In an unusual move, the federal > government has warned > >the > >state of Oregon that it could be interfering with national > food producers > >if voters pass a ballot measure requiring all genetically > modified foods > >sold in the state to be labeled. > > > >The unsolicited letter, which arrived Monday in the office > of Oregon Gov. > >John Kitzhaber, says the measure "would impermissibly interfere with > >manufacturers' ability to market their products on a > nationwide basis." > >The > >letter was signed by Food and Drug Administration deputy > commissioner > >Lester Crawford. > > > >As much as 80% of the foods found in a typical American supermarket > >contain > >at least one ingredient created from genetically engineered crops. > >Backers > >of the measure don't claim the foods are dangerous, but they say > >consumers > >should be able to make informed choices. Critics say labeling is > >expensive > >and will force one label for Oregon foods, a different one elsewhere. > > > >If voters pass the measure Nov. 5, Oregon will be the first state to > >require labeling of so-called GE foods. Europe and Japan > already require > >labeling. > > > >The FDA letter now inserts a federal interest in what to > this point had > >been a brewing state fight. > > > >Still, Measure 27 is the subject of intense interest far > beyond Oregon's > >borders. Food suppliers and processors argue that if they > lose in Oregon, > >they'll face unjust suspicion from consumers that the foods > aren't safe > >and > >the prospect of labeling laws in other states. > > > >"In this letter, we are not promising to take action, but > we are letting > >the people of Oregon know, as best we can, what our views > are about the > >ordinance," a senior FDA official said. > > > >The FDA statement appears to allude to the commerce clause of the > >Constitution, which prohibits states from impeding the flow > of interstate > >commerce, says Jonathan Adler, a professor of environmental and > >constitutional law at Case Western Reserve law school in Cleveland. > > > >The governor's press secretary, Tom Towslee, says the governor was > >surprised to get the letter. "For the federal government to > weigh in on a > >ballot measure in little old Oregon is a little unusual, but they > >obviously > >feel strongly about it," Towslee says. > > > >The two-page letter also states that the FDA has found that, in its > >scientific judgment, there "is no significant difference" between > >bioengineered foods and their conventional counterparts. > > > >Donna Harris, who launched the campaign to get the initiative on the > >ballot, doesn't buy it. "If they're the same as everything > else, then how > >come they have a patent on them?" > >______________________________________________________ > > > > ______________________________________________________ > The American Community Gardening Association listserve is > only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn > more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
