permaculture

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

Key Senators Cave In to Monsanto | Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
http://farmandranchfreedom.org/key-senators-cave-in-to-monsanto/

Key Senators Cave In to Monsanto

Yesterday, Senator Roberts (R-KS) and Senator Stabenow (D-MI) announced a
deal to bring Monsanto’s dream bill to the Senate floor. Your Senators will
vote as soon as next week.

To put it bluntly, the final bill is terrible. This so-called “compromise”
simply hands Monsanto and Big Food corporations a complete victory.

Instead of on-package labels, the bill calls for companies to provide a
website url, a QR code, a symbol or a phone number on the package that will
send consumers on a wild goose chase to figure out what GMOs might be in
their food.

This sham of a federal labeling scheme pre-empts any state law, robbing
states of the right to adopt meaningful GMO labeling laws, as Vermont has
done.

Added to that, the bill doesn’t even provide for any federal penalties for
companies’ failure to comply. It excludes the most recent forms of genetic
engineering, and it’s a total cave-in to Monsanto.

It’s critical that you take action today, even if you have before.
Take Action
Call or email both of your U.S. Senators to urge them to oppose Senator Pat
Roberts’ bill or any compromise that doesn’t mandate on-package labels for
genetically engineered foods.



You can look up who your Senators are and find their contact information:

   - Online:
   http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
   <http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm>
   - Phone: 202-224-3121

Here’s a sample script for a call:



Hi, my name is ___, and I am a constituent. I urge Senator _____ to reject
the latest version of Senator Roberts’ bill (S. 2609), or any bill that
prohibits states from requiring the labeling of genetically engineered
foods (GMOs).

The current “compromise” for GMO labeling is completely unacceptable. It
would preempt Vermont’s and other states’ laws and establish a federal
program based on QR codes, a symbol, 1-800 numbers or a statement on
packages referring people to websites.

The USDA will have 2 years to create the standards, and there will be no
penalties for non-compliance. There are other problems, including a
definition of genetic engineering that is too narrow.

Vermont’s mandatory labeling law goes into effect on July 1, and many
companies have already started to put clear GMO labels on their food
packaging all across the country to comply with Vermont’s law.

The proof is in their action — labeling GMO foods is feasible and
inexpensive.  They’re already doing it, finally doing what 90% of Americans
have said they wanted. Please listen to the vast majority of Americans and
reject Senator Roberts’ bill and any Senate compromise that would restrict
states’ rights for labeling and result in anything less than clear
mandatory on-package labels that state “contains genetically engineered
ingredients.”
A phone call is more effective than an email. If you do send an email,
please replace the opening few lines with your own personalized message —
personal messages have more impact than form emails.
June 23, 2016