Action Alert - Codex Conference

Please send this URGENT message to US Government leaders to protect your right to know which foods are made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Send an email today to the Secretaries of State (Clinton), Agriculture (Vilsack), and Health and Human Services (Sebelius).

They must stop US negotiators at an international (Codex) conference from May 3-7, from pushing an agenda that could make it difficult for anyone, anywhere in the world to label foods as genetically modified (GM) food—or even make non-GMO claims on their product’s label.

The US is taking the ridiculous and unscientific position that GMOs are not different from conventional foods, claiming labels that say GMO or non-GMO are misleading.

If they succeed at the meeting, the US may then file lawsuits through the World Trade Organization against any country that implements mandatory labeling of GMOs, or even allows non-GMO claims on packages.

This is a grave threat to the Non-GMO Tipping Point—We must push back now!

The growing evidence and concern about health dangers of GMOs is making waves. A renowned US Medical organization (American Academy of Environmental Medicine) called on doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients. Consumers are seeking non-GMO brands, and the fastest growing claim among store brands in 2009 was "GMO-Free" (Neilson Survey). The trade journal Supermarket News predicts GMO concerns will erupt this year, specifically because consumers are now given choices by the new Non-GMO Shopping Guide website, and the new, and the Non-GMO Project’s third-party verified standard for making non-GMO claims.

Most Americans (53%) say they would avoid GMOs if they were labeled. But even 5% would likely be enough to create a tipping point of consumer rejection, forcing all GM ingredients out of our food supply.

We can see the tipping point just over the horizon, but it is now threatened by the US position at Codex.

Tell our government leaders that you will not stand for this outrageous obstruction of our democracy and human rights. Demand that the US support the right for countries everywhere to label GMOs. And remind them that 9 out of 10 Americans want mandatory GMO labeling, and that President Obama actually made a campaign pledge to implement it—which are all waiting for.

Try to do this before Wednesday, May 5^th, but don’t stop until they come around.

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Dear Secretary Vilsack, Secretary Clinton (via Jack Bobo), and Secretary Sebelius (via Barbara Schneeman):
 We urge you to change the proposed U.S. position on labeling foods with genetically modified (GM) ingredients, being circulated in advance of the May 3-7, 2010 meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling in Quebec.
 It is anti-democratic, anti-consumer, anti-business, unscientific, and contradicts FDA and USDA domestic labeling policy. It also interferes with my right to choose food made without genetically modified organisms (GMOs).  
 Although an existing Codex document states that countries can adopt different approaches to labeling of GM foods, the US position crafted by the FDA and the USDA challenges that. It states that Codex should not “suggest or imply that GM/GE foods are in any way different from other foods,” and that mandatory labeling of food as GM “is likely to create the impression that the labeled food is in some way different” and would therefore be “false, misleading or deceptive.”
 If this were established as a new Codex precedent, it would allow the U.S. to file WTO challenges against countries with mandatory labeling and make it difficult to label food as non-GMO within the U.S. Both are unacceptable.
 Americans want mandatory labeling of GMOs—9 out of 10 of us!
 President Obama, while campaigning in Iowa, pledged that he would require mandatory labeling of GMOs.
 While we wait (impatiently) for that pledge to be fulfilled, food companies are meeting the demands of consumers by voluntarily labeling products as Non-GMO. In fact, this was the fastest growing product claim for store brands in 2009 (Neilson Survey). In addition, thousands of products were recently enrolled in the Non-GMO Project, a 3rd party verification program with a uniform, consensus-based definition of non-GMO.
 GMOs ARE different, and unsafe!
 The U.S. position that GMOs are not different was derived from official FDA policy (1992). Although it boldly claimed that the agency was unaware of any information showing that GMOs were different in any meaningful or uniform way, this has been exposed as a lie. Thousands of secret FDA documents were made public by a 1998 lawsuit, revealing that the actual overwhelming consensus among agency scientists was that “the processes of genetic engineering and traditional breeding are different, and according to the technical experts in the agency, they lead to different risks.” The various departments outlined those risks, including allergies, toxins, new antibiotic resistant diseases, and nutritional problems. They had repeatedly urged their superiors to require comprehensive safety studies, including human trials, before any GMO was released to the public.
 But the 1991 White House had instructed the FDA to promote GMOs, and the political appointees in charge ignored and even denied the science and the scientists. They allow GMOs on the market without any required tests or labels.
 Now, 18 years later, evidence validates the FDA scientists’ concerns. Based on animal feeding study results, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) states, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation…” They cite disorders such as infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and organ damage and gastrointestinal problems. The AAEM urged all doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for everyone. They also called upon the government to impose an immediate moratorium, and demanded mandatory labeling. They are just one of numerous organizations and experts worldwide that draw the same conclusions.
 We demand that you withdraw the unjustified position of the U.S., which:
 <ul>
 <li>Obstructs the rights and desires of consumers;</li>
 <li>Blocks the publicly stated intention of the President of the United States;</li>
 <li>Contradicts existing U.S. policies, which allow voluntary labeling of GMOs;</li>
 <li>Interferes with an industry-wide collaborative effort of retailers, manufacturers, distributors, processors, and farmers, for providing verified non-GMO products;</li>
 <li>Ignores the overwhelming evidence showing that GMOs are unsafe; </li>
 <li>Disregards the advice of medical professionals; and</li>
 <li>Puts people everywhere at risk.</li>
 </ul>
 If you are still unconvinced that GMOs are different, ask the animals. Eyewitness reports on four continents show that when given a choice, numerous species avoid genetically modified feed. These include pigs, cows, geese, elk, deer, raccoons, mice, rats, squirrels, chickens, and buffalo. We humans don’t have that sense. We need labels.
 For more information on the health dangers of GMOs, see <a href="http://www.responsibletechnology.org/">www.ResponsibleTechnology.org</a>.
 Safe eating.
 Most sincerely,

First Name

Last Name

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