An exciting new ballot initiative, if California voters approve, could turn the tide against genetically engineered foods in America.
In 1994, a Monsanto employee was quoted as saying, “If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.” If that’s true, then a new ballot initiative in California—launched just last week—could mean the death knell for GMOs in America. Food manufacturers will not be able to afford different packaging and labeling for California customers only, so they’ll have to label all their food.
The Organic Consumers Association is asking California to require the labeling of GE foods as well as foods containing GE ingredients. To get the measure on the November 2012 ballot, they need to collect 504,760 signatures by March of next year.
As you know, ANH-USA strongly supports GE labeling and informed consumer choice, and this is a big step in the right direction. The public agrees: in a 2008 nationwide poll by Consumers Union, 95 percent of respondents said they thought food from genetically engineered animals should be labeled. And with consumers overwhelmingly against genetically engineered foods, a labeling requirement could remove these foods from the shelves.
We wish to thank Mike Adams for breaking this exciting news. We will keep readers informed as the initiative progresses.
If you live in California and want to help support this ballot initiative, please visit the Organic Consumers Fund campaign page to see how you can get involved.
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GE foods should DEFINITELY be labelled!!!!! It is incredibly irresponsible and deceptive to allow people to consume these draconian foods without letting them know what they are eating and feeding to their children!
With the revelations that these frankenfoods cause health problems in the people who consume them, we need to take a closer look at HOW this crap was EVER approved for human consumption, and UNLABELED at that!
We’ve seen that the food corporations (Monsanto in particular) SUPPRESSED research showing adverse effects. They also used “trade-secret” laws to RESTRICT legitimate researchers from investigating these science experiments they want to feed us.
Corrupt people in OUR government allowed this travesty to occur, and may have broken laws to do it. THEY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND CHARGED WITH CRIMES, SUCH AS ENDANGERING PUBLIC HEALTH, TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE POLITICIANS WHO CONSIDER SELLING OUT THE PUBLIC!
Investigate, prosecute, and jail!
I agree that all GE foods should be labeled. The only stores that require such a label is Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. These labels should be enforced at all stores that sell genetically engineered food. It’s an emergency!!!
Finally, a smart move from our inept legislature.
This smart move is coming directly from the people! The Organic Consumers Fund wrote the initiative, volunteers are gathering signatures, and if the measure is to become law, the people of California themselves (not their representatives) will have to vote to pass it next year!
wonderful news. We the people have every right to know whether there is GE in the foods we buy, so we can avoid buying any if we choose. It is outrageous that big companies have blocked our right to even know. All along, though, we have had the power to change this, and now we will.
If a skull and cross bone is the description by a Monsanto employee of just labeling GMO as what they are? Then Maybe the stuff shouldn’t be eaten to begin with. Thank you!!! Are we finally coming out of the fog?
Prayers are being answered,finally .
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
I think It is great that this will be on the ballot in California, I only wish it would be in all the states as well. i only wish it would be sooner as I know people are against GMO’s because it isn’t fit for man or animals.
please, please keep up the good work to insure GM foods are labeled
How about a link to a petition?
This is great!!
Richard, there is not a petition for this. The initiative’s backers need to collect a minimum number of verified registered voter signatures in order to have the measure appear on your 2012 ballot, and then it will be up to Californians themselves to vote for the measure. Visit http://www.organicconsumersfund.org/label/ and look to the right side for ways you can get involved by pledging to collect signatures, attending local activist meetings, or donating to OCF to support their efforts. Since only verified signatures from registered voters count, and as much as 1/3 of signatures collected in these drives are typically invalidated because they can’t be verified, in order to get the 506,000 signatures they need they will be aiming to collect up to 800,000 signatures to ensure that at least 500,000 are valid. Without volunteer signature collectors, they will have to pay professionals who usually charge about ~$1.00 per signature. Collecting 100 signatures for this initiative is the equivalent of donating $100 to the cause!
This is the break we’ve been waiting for. We need to END the altering and poisoning of our foods and this is the beginning FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE.
Finally—–YIPEYYYYYY—YES, YES,YES!!!!! I am so delighted to learn we MAY have a chance against MONSTER MONSANTO and their genetically engineered foods… I believe that every one has the RIGHT to know what they are buying, what they are eating. I believe that food manufacturers Should be REQUIRED to CORRECTLY/HONESTLY label ALL foods……
Yippeyyyyyyy California, thanks for paving the way!!!
Stop supporting the biggest evil on this planet! MONSANTO!
There is no credible scientific evidence that genetically altered foods are unsafe. This is just another of the many urban myths that have been perpetuated by lunatic fringe elements of our society. In California you likely will lose any referendum that threatens farmers who grow genetically modified crops. Even using cross-pollination to get hybrids is a form of genetic engineering.
This is great, but I have heard that Monsanto, DuPont, Bayer, and Syngenta are pouring in buckets of money to try and prevent this issue from going on the ballot. Educate, educate, educate. Most of the public at large have no idea what GMO food is, or even why it presents a danger. On the other hand, if this is indeed a win for the people in California, it will sweep across the nation very shortly.
Funny how we are supposed to be first in freedom, yet for a dollar, we are willing to trade away that freedom. At least the politicians will. Europe already has such a law, and the pocketbook vote is what did it, made most of Europe GMO free.
This is so exciting. I’m very happy to see this. Hope it passes!
I believe it is about time that GE labeling was put into effect. We have a right to know what is in the products we purchase.
Woo Hoo! hope this is just the beginning.
I have been waiting for labeling on GMO products for so long. Imagine the company that sprayed Agent Orange is and has spoken of how honest and reputable they are?
A skull and cross bones is a symbol for death. Those doing the GMOs are aware of the atrocities they are pulling off for power and greed. The atrocities are premeditated crimes against humanity and the environment. The day is fast approaching when the law will work for the people and may the punishment fit the crimes.
Thank You God.
Please be fair in labeling. We need to know about Genetically Enginered food. Let us have the freedom to choose. Thanks.
I think they have known all along what the people want. The only way we will get labeling of GE foods
is through force politicians will not comply just to please constituents.
We will need a lot of help distributing the ballot initiative when the CA secretary of state releases it to us in December. If you know folks in California, who would like to get involved, direct them to the website http://labelgmos.org/ or Facebook page “Label GMOs: Its Our Right To Know- An Initiative For The 2012 CA Ballot”. Local groups are organizing in cities around California with their own Facebook pages for networking. We would like to get 1 million signatures by volunteers to make a statement that this is an important issue to voters. Our legislature is sitting on a bill to label GMO salmon, with no hope of it seeing the light of day. We the people need to organize to take back our government from the corporate interests.
Educate yourself about the foods that contain GMO material and avoid them, as they are probably damaging your health.
It’s about time we have stopped them from killing Americans! How can anyone not agree?
Anyone in California who is interested in working on the signature gathering efforts, please go to LabelGOMs.org, give them your contact info and they will pass your information on to the group leader in your area.
kim kelley
Pasadena area coordinator
LabelGMOs.org
The Truth in Labeling Campaign (www.truthinlabeling.org) would be pleased to be actively involved in the ballot initiative asking California to require the labeling of GE foods as well as foods containing GE ingredients. Please provide us with details so we can pass them on to those who read our web page, facebook pages, and blogs.
Adrienne Samuels
Director
Truth in Labeling Campaign
[email protected]
No matter how we feel as individulas about GE Foods, we have the right to know if we are eating them. I hope the California Law is passed.
We have real information so take care body.
no GMO
I AM THRILLED at this news of a ballot and sure will sign any ballot for this one! Thank you for your tough work for all of us. I have stayed involved with emails to all friends and family on this, and all willing to sign ballots.
Absolutely NO! to genetically modified foods, and NO to supporting ANY company that uses it. They will loose their precious profits at the whim of an informed public. Serves them right, may their CEO’s or whatever make they call themselves be DISSOLVED!!
I frind it hard to believe Kalifornia is finally possibly going to pass some really usefull legislation . I will hold my applause until the sausage is in the market , so to speak .
STOP & LISTEN
we’re killing the planet when we should be respecting our grand host
I have been following the OCA initiative to get genetically modified foods labelled and this is great news to see something positive happening. I can only hope this does build into a nationwide requirement.
Graham
Good whoo hooo about time 🙂
Where would the rest of us be without California?! So happy to hear about the ballot initiative. Clandestine food design is just one more example of corporate arrogance that is compromising the lives of US citizens. Good luck with the signatures.
This is very exciting news (that labeling of GE foods may be required). I didn’t see a link for signatures for the ballot measure. Hope that is coming soon.
Dear Janet, Signatures for ballot initiatives usually have to be collected in person rather than online. Please visit OCF’s campaign page at http://www.organicconsumersfund.org/label/ to see how you can get involved. You may be able to sign for the initiative at one of the local activist meetings they organize, or you could pledge to collect 100 signatures in your own local area and have your signature be the first on the list!
Great!!! They should require labeling of GE foods as well as foods containing GE ingredients !!
It’s about time!
What can we, who are neither CA residents nor know anyone there, do to help? This is essential. It may even be the beginning of the end of animal and plant engineering.
Dear Beverly, the OCF could use your donation. If they have to hire professional signature-gatherers due to a shortage of volunteers, the going rate is $1/signature. When 800,000 signatures are needed this can get expensive!
Thank you from a person who has stayed well by eating mostly organically!!!!!! Keep up the good work!!
I would sooner go after Halil foods. Their foods are not reliable for human consumption and do not have to go through the rigors of laws to be in the market place. These are Muslim produced foods that can contain animals found dead, not USDA- slaughtered for market. I would think that such foods would be 100 times more toxic than geneticly produced foods. It is great to label GE for buyer’s concerns but there are much worse products on the market. I do believe that Halil must be placed on the foods but the majority of consumers will not have any idea what Halil means.
Great! I do not want to eat that garbage. I also do not want to eat all the bad additives that is put in our food. High Frutose Corn Sugar is high on that list, although their lobbyists would have you believe other wise. I stopped buying fodd with HFCS in it and dropped 10 pounds fast. No wonder America is so fat, and unhealthy. We have no idea of the garbage in our food.
Finally.
If it’s significantly different enough to get a patent, it’s significantly different enough to be labelled.
I think this is fantastic news and you should put out the information about how we can get involved. I will personally get at least 100 signatures. Doing this should be a piece of cake.
Trace, please visit http://www.organicconsumersfund.org/label/ The OCF is looking for volunteers to collect signatures!
THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!! Lets get the word out!! We’ve got to support this! Do keep us posted!
I hope the ANH gets on board in asking for mandatory GE labeling in CA. It would be cool if you all joined the other entities (Dr Mercola, Natural News, others) in filing legal briefs asking for GE labeling in CA. Please join this effort, ANH and thank you for all that you do. You are simply wonderful.
And this is very hopeful news.
Is there a petition we all can sign?
Thanks.
Where do I sign?
I will spread the word and get hundreds more.
Dear Derek, please visit http://www.organicconsumersfund.org/label/ so you can pledge to collect signatures for the initiatve.
Thank goodness that the GMO’s are finally getting noticed enough to begin shutting them down…thank you to all that are responsible for making this happen…wouldn’t it be cool to go to the store and buy some produce that isn’t GMO tainted, and actually good for you, and healthy too! You all certainly have my vote to get the GMO’s out of our food! Thanks.
M. King
Anything that goes in our bodies needs to be labeled if it is unnatural, especially if it could cause illness.
The best news I’ve heard all year.How soon do we get to sign and can someone out there draft a national ballot initiative for all of us to sign. I ‘m curious,what genetically engineered animal products and produce are they forcing down our throats that we don’t know about?
This is good news. GM foods are killing us slowly but killing us to be sure.
This is great. I am allll for it, not only do we need to know what has GMO’s in it but also what animals are being fed GMO’s. If it say natural it doesnt mean healthier because most of it is GMO’s which is not real food.
This is great news.
Sandi
I would like to know the food im eating is actually real food!
WOW I have been waiting for this type of NEWS!!!!!
Truth in labeling, please.
The labeling of GE, GMO products is long overdue! Happy to see that CA might start this ball rolling – we need to push until this is federal law!!
Of all the legislation that could come to pass, labeling GMO-derived foods in California might be the most important. As a nutrition professional, I’ve been avidly researching GMO’s for years now. To see some real action in favor of people and the environment on this issue would be a welcome surprise. Get ‘er done, California.
This is great news. It can’t happen soon enough.
How can a person get involved that does NOT live in California??? This needs to become FEDERAL law!!!!
How wonderful. This should be done in EVERY state. Monsanto and all their employees should hang their heads in shame for all the sickness and death they have caused.
We have been fighting GMO’s here in NC, but it’s an uphill battle.
Rock on California !!!!!!!!
Let’s bring Monsanto down on their knees. However, it’s going to be a hard fight because they have a powerful lobby and they pay off a lot of people. .Our government must realize that what Monsanto is doing to us is a slow form of genocide and act accordingly.
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