Victory: City in Florida to Declare Mandatory GMO Labeling

Hot off the press! The city of Hallandale Beach is the first in Florida to unanimously pass a bill that would require the labeling of food containing genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). The bill was supported by the city’s newly appointed Mayor, Joanne Simone, as well as Vice Mayor, Tommy Ruzzano, and follows a trend of other Florida cities proposing similar bills.

“We are especially grateful to Commissioner Lazarow for her constant effort and support of labeling GMOs, banning antibiotics in livestock, banning puppy mills and most recently, her support for the use of alternatives instead of harmful pesticides, herbicides & glyphosate.” –The volunteers of GMO Free Florida

It looks like the Florida city’s Mayor, Joy F Cooper, Vice-Mayor William Julian, and Commissioners Michele Lazarow, Leo Grachow and Anthony Sanders all agreed.

Hallendale Beach began drafting a resolution to institute the first GMO labeling bill in all of Florida as well as a resolution to stop antibiotic overuse in 2014.

“The city of Hallandale Beach recognizes that consumers want accurate and thorough information about the food they feed their families and the potential long-term risks to public health and the environment from genetically modified foods are unknown.”

RESOLUTION NO. 2014 Reads:

“A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH, FLORIDA, supporting MANDATORY LABELING OF ALL GENETICALLY MODIFIED PRODUCTS; and providing an effective date.

WHEREAS, the City recognizes that consumers desire accurate and thorough information about the food they feed their families; and

WHEREAS, the potential long-term risk to public health and the environment from genetically modified foods is unknown; and

WHEREAS, safety studies on genetically modified foods have been limited due to the prohibition of cultivation for research purposes clauses contained in the seed licensing agreements of  biotechnology companies;; and

WHEREAS, some independent peer-reviewed research done on genetically modified crops has revealed problems with liver and kidney functions in rats, deformities and neurological problems in vertebrates, and lower nutrition content in Roundup Ready crops; and

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of the United States Department of Agriculture to ensure that genetically modified crops are safe to grow, the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that genetically modified products will not harm the environment and the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that genetically modified food is safe to eat; and

WHEREAS, the patchwork of federal agencies that regulates genetically modified crops and animals in the United States has failed to adequately oversee and monitor genetically modified products; and

WHEREAS, farmers who produce organic or non-genetically modified crops run the risk of crop contamination from nearby genetically modified crops; and”

Read: Maine Second State to Enact GMO Labeling

Broward County Palm Beach had been hosting meetings to discuss the issue of GMOs in order to inform Florida residents. On their site, they explain:

“It means your food is being messed with, and instead of sitting back and reading about it online, GMO Free Florida comes together every month to work toward a solution. The meeting isn’t just the best opportunity ever to connect with like minded anti-GMOers. It’s also a chance to make a real difference and help plan upcoming events. Being one person ain’t so bad after all. Meetings start at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. Admission is free.”

This is big news, as it proves grassroots efforts really can put Monsanto, Dow, Syngenta, BASF, and other biotech companies in their place. If we all act together, we can defeat GMOs and other issues like the overuse of antibiotics. We can do better, and we are!

GMO Labeling a Growing Trend

This supports a growing trend in Florida and other states for cities to declare sovereignty from GMO crops in regard to their food supply.

Many countries throughout the world have already banned GMOs, or at LEAST require some GMO labeling. But labeling is also a step in the right direction since numerous polls have shown that more than 90% of people in the US support the labeling of food containing genetically altered ingredients.

If more labeling laws are passed in places where GM foods can’t simply be banned, then this places the power back with the consumer. Then we can choose NOT to purchase genetically modified products.

The top seven food manufacturing companies are already required to label GMOs in some countries as well, so the argument that labeling is costly or prohibitive doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. If this were the case, these companies wouldn’t be able to sell their products in so many places outside the US.