Fwd: The Campaign Reporter - October 2003

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" The Campaign Reporter "

The Campaign Reporter - October 2003

Mon, 13 Oct 2003 05:30:20 -0500

 

 

 

 

 

October 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Featured articles

this month

 

Does your representative support labeling?

 

Genetically engineered superweed fears: Worse than thought

 

Americans know little about genetically engineered foods

 

Food companies wary of modified animals

 

Thousands protest genetically engineered food in New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does your representative support labeling?

 

Have you sent one of The Campaign’s form letters (or your own personal letter)

to your U.S. representative yet, asking him or her to support labeling of

genetically engineered foods? If so, he will likely send a letter in response

outlining his position on the issue.

 

We would appreciate it if you would send us a copy of the response letter. (Form

letters can be found at The Campaign’s web site at: www.thecampaign.org.)

 

We want copies of these letters for two reasons. Knowing where Congress members

stand helps us determine how to approach them on the issue. Also, sending us

their responses helps us keep track of how many letters Congress members are

receiving.

 

Passage of the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act, HR 2916, depends

primarily on how many letters we all send into Congress. Hundreds of bills are

introduced each year, but only a small percentage become law. What makes the

difference? Pressure! Congress members need to receive hundreds of thousands of

letters.

 

A recent ABC News poll found that 92 percent of Americans support labeling. We

need to translate that popular support into action by ensuring that Congress

gets the message that Americans want genetically engineered foods to be labeled.

 

If you have sent your letter to your representative, thank you! If you have not

sent your letter, why not?

 

Remember, all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are up for

re-election in November 2004. They are responsive to your letters, especially as

we enter an election year. So send your letter and have at least ten of your

friends do the same. And ask your friends to ask their friends to do send in

letters too. The power of multiplication will enable us to generate enough

letters to get the job done.

 

Thanks for your active participation in our letter-writing campaign. YOU can get

the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act passed into law!

 

Please send us a copy of the letter you receive back. Click here for our mailing

and e-mail addresses and fax number.

 

 

 

 

 

Genetically engineered superweed fears: Worse than thought

 

A British study released this month shows that cross-pollination between

genetically modified plants and their wild relatives is inevitable “and could

create hybrid superweeds resistant to the most powerful weedkillers,” the

London-based newspaper Independent reports.

 

The government-funded study contradicts previous assessments of gene flow

between farm crops and weeds. Earlier findings had suggested that hybridization

-- when two plants cross-pollinate and create another, including superweeds --

was limited.

 

But the research, which involved analyzing satellite images of British

countryside and patrolling 180 miles of river banks, revealed that the problem

is more widespread and frequent than expected.

 

Dr. Mike Wilkinson of Reading University led the study, which was published in

the journal Science. He said physical barriers such as buffer zones would have

only a limited impact on preventing hybridization. The study focused on non-GM

oilseed rape and determined how easily it cross-bred with a near relative, wild

turnip. Wilkinson said the study results are transferable to genetically

modified rape as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Americans know little about genetically engineered foods

 

 

 

Americans’ knowledge of genetically engineered foods remains low and their

opinions about its safety are just as divided as they were two years ago,

according to a new survey released last month by the Pew Initiative on Food and

Biotechnology.

 

Americans are clearly not aware of the extent genetically engineered foods have

invaded the U.S. food supply. Only 24 percent of Americans believe they have

eaten genetically engineered foods, while 58 percent say they have not. In fact,

nearly all Americans have eaten genetically engineered foods, since 70 to 75

percent of all processed foods contain soy or corn that has been genetically

engineered.

 

Further, Americans appear to be unaware that the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) is not safety testing genetically engineered foods.

According to the Pew Initiative survey, 89 percent of Americans agree with this

statement: “Companies should be required to submit safety data to the Food and

Drug Administration for review, and no genetically modified food product should

be allowed on the market until the FDA determines it is safe.”

 

In reality, under the current regulations, biotech companies are not even

required to notify the FDA they are bringing a new product to market. The very

companies with the financial interest in the products are the ones determining

the safety. Not only is the FDA not safety-testing these products, the agency

has determined it doesn’t even need to be notified that a new genetically

engineered food is going to be consumed by millions of people.

 

Most Americans would probably be upset if they understood how irresponsible the

FDA has been when it comes to protecting the public from the possible dangers

associated with genetically engineered foods.

 

One of The Campaign’s primary goals in our effort to pass the Genetically

Engineered Food Right to Know Act will be to get hearings in the U.S. Congress

by the committees that oversee the FDA.

 

Another key finding by the Pew Initiative: Americans are far less comfortable

with genetic modifications to animals than plants. A majority of people polled

-- 58 percent -- oppose scientific research into genetic modification of

animals.

 

 

 

Food companies wary of modified animals

 

Many in the food industry worry that biotech animals could lead to a food scare

that could cost them millions of dollars in losses, according to an Oct. 4 story

from the Associated Press.

 

While the industry is behind genetically engineered crops, food processors are

wary of genetically modified animals, said Thomas Hoban, a sociology and food

science professor at North Carolina State University. “They’re not seeing

cost-savings” from biotech animals, he said. “They’re just seeing headaches.”

 

Genetically engineered crops are widespread in America, but genetically modified

animals are still in the experimental stage. That could change soon: transgenic

salmon, under development by Aqua Bounty Technologies of Waltham, Mass., could

come to market within five years.

 

Environmentalists say genetically modified animals are risky because they could

escape into the wild and take over food and other resources necessary to sustain

wild animal populations.

 

Food industry leaders worry that while many Americans have accepted genetically

engineered crops, polls show that Americans are especially skittish about

biotech animals.

 

“ Animals are a different issue,” said Stephanie Childs, a spokeswoman for the

Grocery Manufacturers of America. “Consumers want to know what the benefits

are.”

 

Learn more about genetically altered animals

 

 

 

Thousands protest genetically engineered food in New Zealand

 

Thousands of protesters gathered in cities throughout New Zealand Oct. 10 to in

a last-ditch effort to get the New Zealand government to maintain a ban on

genetically engineered foods.

 

Organizers estimated that 30,000 people gathered in Auckland alone.

 

The battle is to keep New Zealand GE-free, " said Steve Abel, Greenpeace

spokesman, who called the protests " a history-defining event. "

 

The New Zealand government has announced that it will lift a moratorium on the

commercial growing of genetically engineered foods at the end of October.

 

But 69 percent of New Zealanders oppose the government's decision, according to

a recent poll.

 

Alannah Currie, spokeswoman for Mothers Against Genetic Engineering, said that

Prime Minister Helen Clark's government has " got this issue wrong. "

 

" There will be people there marching who have never marched in their lives, we

will not go away, this is only going to get bigger, " she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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