Send a fax to keep the USDA from including Irradiated Food in School Lunches!

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Fri, 6 Dec 2002 08:34:15 -0500

" Healthy Traditions Network " <htnetwork

Irradiated food in school lunches?

 

ACTION ALERT: COMMENT NOW ON IRRADIATED FOOD

IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

 

 

The USDA has issued a request for comments

on their proposal to buy irradiated food for

their commodity purchase programs, which

includes the National School Lunch Program.

Although they have been encouraged by

Congress to include irradiated food, they

have asked the public to comment first.

This is your chance to tell them what you

think about irradiated food!

 

In 2001 the USDA attempted to pull this

same stunt, and with your help we

effectively prevented irradiated food

from entering the National School Lunch

Program!

 

WE CAN DO IT AGAIN!

EVERY COMMENT IS IMPORTANT!

 

**WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED?**

 

~The health effects of children consuming

irradiated meat are unknown.

 

~ Irradiating food causes the creation of

unique chemicals. Research has shown

numerous health problems in lab animals

that ate irradiated food, including

reproductive problems, gene tic damage

and cancer development.

 

~ Irradiated food in schools need not

be labeled, which obstructs parents'

right-to-know what their children

are eating.

 

~ Irradiation masks filthy meat.

 

~ Irradiating food depletes nutrients.

Should we feed our children nutritionally

deficient food?

 

**WHAT CAN YOU DO?**

 

Comment deadline is December 20!

 

~ Fax the USDA and enter your

additional comments.

 

http://www.citizen.org/fax/background.cfm?ID=89 &

source=12\

 

~Write, or e-mail the USDA with your

comments. Write to:

 

Livestock and Seed Programs

Agriculture Marketing Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Stop 0249, Room 2092-S

Washington, DC 20250-0249

E-mail: foodsafetytechnology

 

~ Work at the local level to prevent

irradiated food from entering your

school district! (Contact Monique

at 202-546-4996 for an organizing

packet to get started.)

 

~ Write a letter to the editor of

your local paper explaining the situation

and asking

 

for parental support! (Include

your contact information or share Public

Citizen's contact information.)

 

**TALKING POINTS**

 

~ The health effects of children

consuming irradiated meat are unknown.

If the safety of this technology is

questionable, why serve it to children?

 

~ Parents have a right-to-know what

their children are eating, yet the rules

on labeling irradiated food don't

apply to schools.

 

~ Taxpayer money should not be used

to prop up this questionable technology

at the expense of the safety of

American children.

 

~ How much longer is the USDA going

to let the meat industry get away with

producing food that is contaminated

with E. coli 0157:H7, listeria or

salmonella without a proper inspection

and testing regime?

 

~Irradiation is not an acceptable way

to deal with filth on meat. Is this

administration willing to put our

children's health at risk to let

industry off the hook on cleaning up

their processes?

 

~ The National School Lunch Program

is meant to provide children with a

healthy well-balanced meal, not

nutritionally deficient food treated

with a controversial technology.

 

~ There is an appalling lack of research

into the long-term health effects

experienced by children who are exposed

to toxic chemicals in food. Dr. William Au,

a toxicologist at the Univ. of Texas

Medical Branch in Galveston, has argued

that, " the scientific community and

regulatory agencies have very little

knowledge regarding how children respond

to insult from toxic chemicals. These

concerns also apply to toxicological

risk with respect to eating irradiated

food. "