Lobbyists at it Again: GMO Labeling Fight Likely to Resume in New Year
Despite the people wanting more transparency
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Agricultural leaders aren’t giving up on the fight to halt foods from being labeled if they contain genetically modified ingredients. Even though the bill that would have ruined GMO labeling initiatives across the country was stopped dead in its tracks in Congress, leaders say the issue of GMO labeling will be ‘top priority’ when they get back to work in January.
Richard Wilkins, the new president of the American Soybean Association, says he was disappointed that efforts to address GMO labeling, as part of the omnibus budget bill, were unsuccessful.
“We were hoping to get some kind of language in the omnibus bill to preempt states from being able to put into place mandatory GMO labeling requirements. . . But we’re getting indications, certainly from Senator Stabenow and others, that it’s going to be at the top of their list of priorities when they go back into session after the holidays.”
I’m sure he’s anxious, since 93% of all soy grown in the U.S. is now genetically modified.
Wilkins has been trying to prop up Big Food and the biotech industry by saying that state-by-state labeling laws would not only be a nightmare for food manufacturers, but would also create confusion for consumers – though it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read a label that says, “THIS FOOD CONTAINS GENETICALLY MODIFIED INGREDIENTS.”
He has another idea:
“The perception that a consumer could have with a front of package label—it’s alarmist. It’s a fear-monger’s way of trying to achieve a political agenda.”
The most immediate concern for Wilkins is that Vermont has a democratically-passed law now requiring the labeling of GM foods – and it is going into effect next summer. That could be problematic for lobbyists like him who don’t want consumers to know when they are eating GM soy; it’s in so many products, it would make your head spin.
Just in case Wilkins isn’t aware, GM soy has been linked to numerous, serious health risks. For example:
- GM soy altered mouse liver cells in ways that suggest a toxic insult. [1] The changes reversed after their diet switched to non-GM soy. [2]
- GM soy leads to anxiety in rats. [3]
- GM soy causes reproductive problems, and infant mortality.
- More than half the offspring of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks. Male rats and mice fed GM soy showed changes in their testicles; the mice had altered young sperm cells. [4] [5]
- The DNA of mouse embryos whose parents ate GM soy functioned differently than those whose parents ate non-GM soy. [6]
Wilkins made his comments in an interview with Brownfield at the recent Iowa Soybean Association annual meeting in Ankeny.
You can listen to him speak here:
Sources:
[1] M. Malatesta, C. Caporaloni, S. Gavaudan, M. B. Rocchi, S. Serafini, C. Tiberi, G. Gazzanelli, “Ultrastructural Morphometrical and Immunocytochemical Analyses of Hepatocyte Nuclei from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” Cell Struct Funct. 27 (2002): 173180.
[2] M. Malatesta, C. Tiberi, B. Baldelli, S. Battistelli, E. Manuali, M. Biggiogera, “Reversibility of Hepatocyte Nuclear Modifications in Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” Eur J Histochem, 49 (2005): 237-242.
[3] I.V. Ermakova, “Diet with the Soya Modified by Gene EPSPS CP4 Leads to Anxiety and Aggression in Rats,” 14th European Congress of Psychiatry. Nice, France, March 4-8, 2006; “Genetically modified soy affects posterity: Results of Russian scientists’ studies,” REGNUM, October 12, 2005; http://www.regnum.ru/english/526651.html; Irina Ermakova, “Genetically modified soy leads to the decrease of weight and high mortality of rat pups of the first generation. Preliminary studies,” Ecosinform 1 (2006):
[4] Irina Ermakova, “Experimental Evidence of GMO Hazards,” Presentation at Scientists for a GM Free Europe, EU Parliament, Brussels, June 12, 2007
[5] L. Vecchio et al, “Ultrastructural Analysis of Testes from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” European Journal of Histochemistry 48, no. 4 (OctDec 2004):449454.
[6] Oliveri et al., “Temporary Depression of Transcription in Mouse Pre-implantion Embryos from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified Soybean,” 48th Symposium of the Society for Histochemistry, Lake Maggiore (Italy), September 710, 2006.
 | Christina Sarich is a humanitarian and freelance writer helping you to Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga. |
Poor Chrissy just can’t accept the fact that labeling will be dead in 2016. She also seems to forget that five times the people had a say on labeling and in all five it was defeated.
WRONG AGAIN DEATH DEALER ! The only way labeling is being blocked so far sometimes (removed from Omnibus bill. passed in several states) is big corporate mony ads full of lies to scare the uninformed, trying to sneak it into OTHER bills that have big support, and putting Monsanto cronies into government. Really respectable activity. You should just have a skull & crossbones for an avatar since that’s what you’re pushing.
Yes to death to weeds and insects that is what my customers pay me for. As for labeling, congress will take care of it next month and if they don’t, it will easily be shot down in the courts. Talk about sneaking things in funny how the states that have passed it only did so by ignoring the people.
So you have degree’s in political sciences, environmental sciences, marketing, economics, Law, judicial processes, Finances, and possess a full worldly knowledge about every topic and conversation brought up here. And yet you sell, and encourage, things designed to kill all?
You claim to be well educated, but post here as a fascist moron.
Wow, you do assume a lot don’t you. Instead of actually having a reply the best you can do is try cheap insults. You are a sad individual, and then you wonder why things like labeling get defeated every time by the public.
Anybody with half a brain knows why labeling has been defeated, there genius.
Not everybody is as stupid as you.
Yes everyone knows that labeling was defeated all five times because of lack of support. Thanks for pointing out the obvious.
Yes your stupidity is astounding, support= money moron. And sound advice has always been, FOLLOW THE MONEY.
And as your proving, disinformation and promises of nothing= stupid voters who believe stupid people like you.
You seem to be living within some sort of delusional world there moron.
Keep your eye on the prize, that way reality will not be realized.
You are the one not smart enough to see through the propaganda that sites like this put out. Then when called out on your ignorance the best you can do is to insult people Maybe the new year will be better for you, or at least you can hope so.
Lets reflect back to my first post, you immediately called me a moron.
Now your “whining” because I am acting just like you?
Go put on your big boy panties whiner and come back when your a real man.
Idiot.
Not whining at all just pointing out that you have no facts and aren’t interested in debated because either you don’t know or you do know that you are wrong. The insults are just your way of covering it all up.
Fact your first response to me you called me a moron.
Denial is the first sign there whining moron.
My insults are based on your chosen style of communication.
What you don’t like it when people treat you like you treat them.
Maybe if you grow up and act like a respectful little man, people won’t hurt your feelings.
I asked you for proof, your simpleton response and refusal provides proof your wrong there moron.
Feeling can’t be hurt by someone as low as you. Although I understand that is what makes you feel better is trying to degrade others. You have offered zero facts since you have been here only insults. Then you wonder why things like labeling never win with tactics like yours.
You must be getting paid by the post.
Why else would anybody act so stupid, but I’ll believe your not acting there dummy.
Sorry to make you look even dumber, but not paid at all to point out your lies. I’m just passionate about farming.
Lying and trolling on the internet isn’t farming, idiot.
You might prove it, which you can’t, your just a loser trying to make up for your life’s failures by creating your internet fantasy perfect world where you are all knowing.