Consumer Rights Day, 15 MARCH 2003

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World Consumer Rights DayThe theme for World Consumer Rights Day, 15 MARCH 2003,

is 'Corporate Control of the Food Chain - The GM Link'

‘Our Food, Whose Choice?’ was the question Consumers International asked three

years ago, when World Consumer Rights Day 2000 took its first look at

genetically modified foods. This year , we return to the issue- which remains

high on the agenda for national and regional consumer action. While key safety

and environmental questions remain unanswered, we believe it is also important

to look beyond these to the ways that corporations are using GM technology to

consolidate their control over global food production.

As evidence from practical experience grow more substantial, it is increasingly

clear that GM crops currently being grown offer no benefits to consumers and

nothing to most farmers. Even the intended ‘indirect’ advantages of reduced

pesticide and herbicide use are not being achieved. The only beneficiaries are

the agrochemical corporations that sell the seeds and associated farm chemicals.

Consumers have a right to question why this technology should be used at all

when it produces no benefits to society but has the potential for causing great

damage

To assist our members worldwide to engage in this issue and mark this year's

World Consumer Rights Day, on 15 March 2003 , CI has prepared a campaign kit

with the latest information on how corporations are extending their control over

the food chain through the development of GM crops and seeds. The kit, entitled

'Corporate Control of the Food Chain - The GM Link' contains campaign and lobby

activities and tools, including several model letters for groups and individuals

to send to strategic decision-makers. The kit is now availabe and can be found

by clicking on the link below.

Corporate Control of the Food Chain - The GM Link covers the following topics:

Production and distribution of GM crops - how the production and distribution of

GM crops is dominated by agribusiness through control of the global seed market

and the forced implementation of patent regimes worldwide which giving

corporations 'ownership' rights over GM seeds.

Campaign suggestions focus on ways of challenging current patent regimes that

protect the interests of GM seed companies rather than consumers and farmers.

Labelling and traceability - an update on the current state of play of labelling

and traceability laws, plus a look at how corporate actors with a vested

interest in GM foods are lobbying to ensure that only minimum labelling and

traceability regulations go into force.

Campaign suggestions focus on lobby targets to ensure that maximum labelling and

traceability laws are implemented and suggestions on the types of regulations

that will protect consumer rights to information and choice

Regulation of the GM food industry - looks at the regulatory regimes already in

place and pinpoints where new, binding regulations are needed.

Campaign suggestions focus on lobbying national governments for stricter

regulatory regimes on GM, and implementation of the international biosafety

accords.

Frequently told lies – counters with facts the pro-biotech corporate claims on

the that consumers are fed daily by the GM seed companies and their interest

groups

What’s next - details new developments in GM technology that consumers need to

be aware of, including the imminent introduction of GM wheat

Campaign suggestions include examples of how consumers can make known their

concerns over new foods known, plus suggestions on ways to block their

introduction.

Food aid – looks at how food aid is being used as an instrument to introduce GM

crops into developing countries.

Campaign suggestions focus on how to ensure that checks and balances are in

place.

Food safety and human health - summarises what is known —and what's not— about

the potential risks to human health of GM foods.

World Consumer Rights Day 2003 Kit - Corporate control of the food chain: the GM

link

 

English: [pdf version] [word version]

French: [pdf version] [word version]

Spanish: [pdf version] [word version]

Model letters in Word format as seen in the toolkit.

 

Model letter to your Codex Committee on Food Labelling representative or

National Codex Committee Contact Point

 

Model letter to US Dept of Agriculture demanding a moratorium on ‘pharm’ crops

 

Model letter to US and Canadian authorities, asking them not to authorise the

planting of GM wheat

 

Model letter to food retailers

 

Model letter to retailers/bread manufacturers, asking them to take a stand on GM

wheat

 

Model letter to governments demanding GM food labelling

 

French model letters

 

Modèle de lettre à adresser aux gouvernements pour réclamer l’étiquetage des

denrées alimentaires transgéniques

 

Modèle de lettre à adresser aux autorités américaines et canadiennes leur

demandant d’interdire la plantation de blé transgénique

 

Modèle de lettre à adresser à votre représentant du Comité Codex sur

l’étiquetage des denrées alimentaires ou au point de contact national de ce

Comité

 

Modèle de lettre à adresser aux détaillants/ boulangers industriels leur

demandant de prendre position sur le blé transgénique

 

Modèle de lettre aux autorités pour demander l’interdiction de l’exploitation

des produits biopharmaceutiques

 

Modèle de lettre à adresser aux sociétés/producteurs/fabricants

agro-alimentaires etc.

 

Spanish model letters

 

Carta modelo a autoridades estadounidenses y canadienses, solicitando no

autorizar el trigo transgénico

 

Carta modelo a comerciantes/fabricantes de pan, solicitándoles asumir una

posición ante el trigo transgénico

 

Carta modelo para las empresas de alimentos/productores/fabricantes, etc.

 

Carta Modelo para el representante del Comité del Codex en temas de Etiquetado

de Alimentos

 

Carta modelo a los gobiernos para demandar etiquetado de alimentos transgénicos

 

Carta modelo al Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos urgendo a que se

declare una moratoria de cultivos farmacéuticos

 

 

 

World Consumer Rights Day: History and purpose, previous kits and press releases

 

 

 

 

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