Feds Loosen GMO Rules

New actions from the federal government will unleash even more genetically modified food on the public. Action Alert!
President Trump recently signed an executive order to make it easier for genetically engineered (GE) plants and animals to enter the food supply. This follows a proposed rule issued early in June that loosens requirements that certain GE plants must follow. These actions will make it easier for Big Food to develop and sell GE food while hiding the fact that it has been genetically modified, thanks to the sham GMO labeling law passed in 2016.
President Trump’s executive order is meant to “simplify” the regulations that companies must follow to bring GE products to market. The executive order directs federal agencies that oversee GE plants and animals to review their current regulations and come up with a more “streamlined” approach that fosters innovation in the biotechnology sector.
Separately, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) released a proposed rule that waters down the regulations companies must follow regarding the “movement” of GE plants, where “movement” means the importation, interstate movement, or environmental release of GE plants. The proposed rule’s new approach is to focus on the properties of the GE plant itself rather than the method used to produce it. So, if a company uses gene editing or some other technology to bring about a change in a plant that APHIS determines could have come about as a result of traditional plant breeding, the plant would not be regulated under the rule. If APHIS determines the change could not be produced naturally and the GE plant could pose a plant pest risk, then permits must be acquired to “move” the plant.
These actions are music to the ears of the biotechnology industry, but will expose consumers to a host of new products with unknown safety profiles. It should go without saying that the method used to produce a new plant variety is relevant to its safety. A GE plant and its conventional counterpart may appear the same, but genetic engineering introduces new elements of unpredictability.
For example, synthetic organic chemicals were developed in the early 1900’s. One could argue that this was a simple extension of basic chemistry, since these chemicals were made of the same elements as “natural” chemicals. Yet the massive production and distribution of synthetic chemicals showed us that many of them had unexpected dangers for human health and the environment.
We simply cannot anticipate the unintended consequences of GE plants and animals. As the Institute for Responsible Technology has noted, the genetic engineering process creates massive collateral damage, causing mutations in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA. Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their behavior. Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.
Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.
The federal government has consistently sided with industry in regard to GE food. In 2016, when polls consistently showed that over 90% of Americans wanted clear labeling of GE foods, Congress passed a food industry-supported bill that allows food companies to hide the presence of GE ingredients in a scannable QR code that most Americans don’t use.
Let’s fight back on these current efforts to expose us to more GMOs.
Action Alert! Write to the USDA, Congress, and President Trump, urging them to reverse these decisions that will expose more Americans to GMOs. Please send your message immediately.

82 comments

  1. These people and lawmakers are CRIMINALS! And their actions will affect the health and lives of all people and their offspring with the intention of creating massive amounts of new health issues and conditions! This must not be allowed to continue!

  2. Please give us a choice to purchase NON-GMO products and don’t change the labeling of the food

  3. I urge you to reverse recent decisions that will expose more Americans to GMO!
    People have a right to know what they are consuming w/out having GMO’s forced down our throats!

  4. GMO crops and “Food” products contains harmful genes that damage the intestines of humans as they damage the intestines of unfortunate animals on which these “Frankencrops” are tested. Thus, GMO is not suitable for human consumption and should be banned. If they cannot be banned they have to bear warning labels about the potential harm to human health when consumed. Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems. The federal government has consistently sided with industry in regard to GE food. In 2016, when polls consistently showed that over 90% of Americans wanted clear labeling of GE foods, Congress passed a food industry-supported bill that allows food companies to hide the presence of GE ingredients in a scannable QR code that most Americans don’t use. The purpose of “food industry” is to provide nutrition not poison to humans. So let us all be reasonable and focus on human health and wellbeing in all these cases.

  5. Please give Americans the option to avoid GMO “foods” by appropriate labeling requirements. “From the Lab to the Stomach” with spartan research behind it is scary to many of us. We want to know what we’re eating.

  6. Not enough research has been done to know the long term effects of genetically modified plants and animals, Many other countries have had sense enough to realize this and have put the welfare of their citizens above big-ag and corporate greed. I want and deserve that same consideration and so does the rest of the uninformed citizens of the United States. We were all created equal in this world and a few powerful people do not have the right to decide what the rest of the people should consume. I don’t want any product that is GMO in my diet and the sad thing is you don’t even have the decency to label the products so I know. You eat it, I don’t want it!

  7. It should be kept in mind that most GMO foods (over 80%) are for herbicide tolerance, not to improve the nutrition of the plant for human consumption. Herbicide tolerant characteristics mean that the plant is grown in multiple herbicides. Many of these herbicides were patented as antibiotics (glyphosate, Monsanto 1970). These residues persist when the food comes to market. They poison the gut micro biome in humans and animals. This is a strong contributor to chronic illness and inflammation. The altered genetic sequences would also be expected to induce inflammation. Gut immune tolerance is a phenomenon that has been programmed in the human genome for thousands of years. Industry has been allowed to market foods that are “substantially similar” to their parent food. No feeding studies have been done, except a short study in rats published by Seralini in Bt corn. These rats grew tumours and died quickly. Industry pressured the scientific journal to suppress/remove the information and tried to silence the scientist. Less is more when it comes to biotechnology. It is against the natural order of life on earth. We need heritage plants for our proper nutrition and farming practices that do not rely upon chemical weapons. We need to nourish (not poison) the soil that nourishes us.

  8. Wow, after all Trump is “genius” ! He has done his own studies on gmos…oh wait, I thought Trump is a scientist, oh no, Sonny Perdue is a Trumpteer…..We are doomed! Trumps “SWAMP” is sucking the life out of americans!

  9. Do no loosen GMO standards. I urge you to reverse president Trumps executive order as well as the other bill that is watering down standards. I request the original standards that have been in place for many years. I am a doctor and this posts health risks, especially to imuno deficient patients. Thank you for your timely action on this matter.

  10. America does not want to eat POISON. BAN GYPHOSATE and other toxic food pesticides, herbicides, PLS!!

  11. trump will kill us all, the man is an idiot! I want food not chemicals. Please acknowledge science and reverse the decisions based on the whim of a mad man.

  12. Why does the FDA want to reduce transparency? People want to know what they’re eating. New blockchain technology is being used around the world to add transparency for the whole life cycle of products from farm to store, and the FDA is moving in the opposite direction. WHY ??

  13. Reverse these horrible decisions that will expose more Americans to GMOs.
    GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.
    Health before profits.

  14. There is nothing about executive orders in the constitution that I have read about. What is going on with this. These orders have the force of law and all laws or orders with the force of law have to be passed and/or approved by congress.

  15. It should be OK for the consumers to decide what goes into their body and brain

  16. I think companies should be pushed to make all food, supplements, cleaners, beauty products, etc. organic and non-GMO. I believe it’s safer. I think rules against GMOs should be tightened as should rules for organics.

  17. No! Stop putting these DAM poisons into our food supply !! These genetically engineered food crops are hazardous to our health !!! Stop putting profit before the welfare of American citizens !! No!! A unilateral restriction needs to be imposed against the use of GMOS !! Period !!

  18. These actions are music to the ears of the biotechnology industry, but will expose consumers to a host of new products with unknown safety profiles. It should go without saying that the method used to produce a new plant variety is relevant to its safety. A GE plant and its conventional counterpart may appear the same, but genetic engineering introduces new elements of unpredictability.
    The genetic engineering process creates massive collateral damage, causing mutations in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA. Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their behavior. Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.
    Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.

  19. Unintended harmful consequences associated with GMOs of all types continue to come to light. The impacts on the environment and public health are simply not well understood. Regulations on the use of GMOs should be more restrictive rather than less.

  20. Feed it to Trump, hid family and his faithful men and women. The people want proper labeling and information on all foods. No food should be free of telling what is inside the package that you may end up eating.

  21. Where are the phoney balonies like Peter Gabriel, Bono and Paul Simon now? Why aren’t they screaming like they were with the anti-apartide stuff in the 80’s, you couldn’t t shut them up about that but on this issue, genocide in their own back yards and they zip their mouths. Are they afraid of biting the hand that feeds them? BS artists is what they are.

  22. This is wrong and everyone knows it, do SOMETHING. and STOP IT FROM GETTING WORSE.

  23. GMO rules and labelling need to require industry manufacturers label all ingredients of a product. No loosening of regulations. QR codes are useless. They do not help anyone to figure out what they are eating or what the ingredients are. The consumer is the loser in this battle. Please label all ingredients, GMO ingredients ,and do not leave anything out. Do not loosen the rule. Industry should not have an upper hand in this. Industry needs to be compassionate about the consumer. Consumers need to stay healthy. These decisions will only impact everyone’s health. They need to care about the health of everyone, not the money that they are making by making everyone sick. Please do not loosen the regulations on GMO labelling. These GMO /GE ingredients/chemicals are dangerous. Do not do this. Reverse the decisions that will expose more americans to GMOs. Why should there be a simplification on the labelling process, when people’s health is at stake.

  24. There have been many studies showing the horrible effects that GMO’s have on the body. In Europe where they care more about people’s health than corporate profits, most countries have banned GMO crops and food. I have many food sensitivities and digestive issues and feel better when I eat organic and non-GMO foods. If a law is passed to make it more difficult to tell GMO from non-GMO, I will be forced to spend more money than I can afford on food. I will feel it necessary to buy organic or foods that show they have been non-GMO verified. Please don’t be pressured by corporate interests in making this decision.

  25. We simply cannot anticipate the unintended consequences of GE plants and animals. As the Institute for Responsible Technology has noted, the genetic engineering process creates massive collateral damage, causing mutations in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA. Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their behavior. Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.
    Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.
    The federal government has consistently sided with industry in regard to GE food. In 2016, when polls consistently showed that over 90% of Americans wanted clear labeling of GE foods, Congress passed a food industry-supported bill that allows food companies to hide the presence of GE ingredients in a scannable QR code that most Americans don’t use.

  26. I demand that the ill-conceived executive order to make it easier for GE plants and animals to enter our food supply and the APHIS proposed rule to water down regulations regarding GMOs be immediately retracted and scrapped. We need to be much more cautious about exposing Americans to GMOs. The interests promoting GMOs are not to be trusted and have buried and obfuscated the very real dangers regarding this technology. We do not yet understand the implications of the myriads of unintended consequences.

  27. We all ready have the sickest, mentally compromised generation in the nation’s history from environmental pollutions of which glyphosate and multiple compounds in Monsantos Roundup is is one of the worst! Now they want to up the anti???? Is the purpose to make us so sick we die or just unable to stand up to this corporate puppet madman??
    This is absolutely INSANE. Where are the people uniting who care about children and the future of the planet!!!!?? We must bring every organization together that is working for health and push back big time.

  28. As with everything else the our rig–ht winged government is doing, we’re going backwards with the climate problems–and GMOs are at the top of the list.

  29. Once again, the interests of big corporations take precedence over the interests, health, concerns and wishes of the American People. When are you going to represent the people you are supposed to be serving. Oh right, we only pay your salaries and health care. We can’t donate big bucks for your campaigns.
    GE foods has not been proven to be safe. GE crops contaminate not GE crops and as they become more prevalent, it will be difficult to know what’s GE and what isn’t. I do not want to eat GE foods and I expect companies to do full diligence to ensure GE foods do not contaminate non GE foods. Please do not weaken the current regulations. Please do not assume everyone has a smart phone and can scan packages. GE foods must be labeled as such.

  30. Please do not pass this. GMOs cause numerous horrendous health problems that have killed many innocent people Worldwide. And you are causing Destruction to Our Precious Earth. Yes these proposed actions Destroy the Whole World’s existence. There is nothing good about this. Please stop this.

  31. The genetic engineering process creates massive collateral damage, causing mutations in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA. Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their behavior. Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.
    Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.

  32. Stop GMOs. They are not independently tested for safety nor are they labeled!

  33. First, let’s rid of the devil Senator Pompeo who is now our Sect’y of State. Senator Pompeo was the creator of the ‘Dark Act” that literally says the the Public does not ‘ need to know’ what is in their food. That bill was passed giving the GE companies the right to genetically engineer All our foods. Without sounding conspiratorial this is just another thing on
    a list that will bring our country to it’s knees. When our people are too weak or too sick to fight back, we will not be flying the Stars and Stripes but some other God know what flag. Thanks to this deeper, darker swamp that was sure to be emptied.

  34. First, let’s rid of the devil Senator Pompeo who is now our Sect’y of State. Senator Pompeo was the creator of the ‘Dark Act” that literally says the the Public does not ‘ need to know’ what is in their food. That bill was passed giving the GE companies the right to genetically engineer All our foods. Without sounding conspiratorial this is just another thing on
    a list that will bring our country to it’s knees. When our people are too weak or too sick to fight back, we will not be flying the Stars and Stripes but some other God know what flag. Thanks to this deeper, darker swamp that was sure to be emptied.

  35. I am surprised to know that a Jesus believer is doing something against Jesus, the creator is God, only God creates, but today, human is trying to take over God to create, to create everything. we know God got the last day. I have been with greatest hope that the Trump administration will do something different than previous administration. It is sad day for humanity.

  36. I want to know where my food comes from and I want to have the option of non GMO CHOICES. better yet, if the FDA gave a crap about the American people then GMO products would be outlawed here like in much of Europe!!!

  37. Deregulation of GMO food or anything for that matter is typically self-serving for the corporations who couldn’t care less what harms it will cause. What’s new? NOTHING!

  38. Deregulation of GMO food or anything for that matter is typically self-serving for the corporations who couldn’t care less what harms it will cause. What’s new? NOTHING!

  39. Gee how stupid are these people? With all the law suits against Monsanto right now. If I were in the food industry I would be doing everything I could to get rid of gmos. Because guess what? You are going to be sued right along with Monsanto for killing us with you gmos! I do not purchase anything any more that doesn’t have the Gmo free symbol on it. And I do not buy produce that I do not know it’s origin or if it is made with poison. So get ready all you Gmo pushing selfish excuse for human beings. Your sue dates are right around the corner. And what you do goes around. What are you going to tell your daughter when your grandchild is battling cancer from your Gmo products?because there is no way that you can eat poison AND IT NOTGIVE YOU CANCER AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES.

  40. A certain brand of genetically modified salmon is believed to extinct wild salmon populations in forty generations if released in the wild.

  41. I admire our President very much, but when I heard he had made a decision to give the GMO food industry even more of a license to continue poisoning the people in this country, I was and still am, greatly disappointed. People are dying every day from eating GMO foods, which really are “Frankenfoods.” We are all guinea pigs for these evil people to see how much poison our bodies can take before we come down with cancer, or some other horrible disease, from eating these chemical-laden foods. There is nothing safe about pesticides, or glyphosate. If I thought these items were good for me, I would just keep some spray cans on my table to spray on everything I eat or serve to my family and friends. I love my family and close friends more than anything in this world, and this is why I am signing this petition, because I would like to keep them around as long as possible.

  42. Please make and keep GMO in our foods readily and easily determinable. Have markings prominent and not obscured or in a code or symbol. Let people decide what type of food they wish to eat. It is that simple.

  43. Consumers have a right to know when a product contains a GMO. Therefore, REVERSE all decisions that allow products with GMOs to go without clear statements that would otherwise help consumers make informed decisions.
    Require that all products containing GMOs are clearly labeled with that information. Any product containing a GMO must contain a clear statement to that effect.

  44. Personally, I’m disheartened by the blatant disregard for how nature operates. By how much America has come to represent a bad Sci-fi movie where the scientists that thought they had everything figured-out do the horribly wrong and by time they figure things out it’s too late to reverse course. I’m not speaking out of ignorance of the meticulous scientific process that occurs in-house before such laws are passed. But I am speaking of the reason such laws/regulations are passed. Three words: the bottom-line aka money. Organic life has it’s own way of doing things and we would never mess with such things if it didn’t make somebody or many somebody’s more money to mimic nature’s ways and turn it into a assembly line machine. In those people’s eyes this is better, faster and more efficient -so cheaper. And that last descriptor is the one that rules over all the pros and cons of proceeding forward with the decision. Just because an offspring is possible in nature outside of allot of our unnatural methods does not justify it’s purpose or existence. It does not make it the same, even if every atom is identical to the hypothetical one that an algorithm gave the “OK” on. Machines and their programming are tools to automate and facilitate the results and metrics that business requires to make the call on. But machines will not feel the effects over miscalculations of factors input however purposeful or unintentional they are. They are tools, and they will do as they are instructed however many times asked for until they are either break or are replaced by a newer version. Meanwhile the larger population will shout things like “#YOLO” or “Carpe Diem”. Ironic it seems, at first technology helped us live longer, but now it cuts one’s life short. Thank you for your consideration.

  45. please reverse the decision that will expose more Americans to GMO’s that are potential very harmful!!! thank you

  46. Every day it seems to look more and more like what I never believed before, that they found the way
    to keep the people who can’t afford to shop at organic food stores dumb and sterile.

  47. WHAT A SAD, DISRESPECTED COUNTRY WE’VE BECOME! USDA INCLUDED!!!!! USDA SHOULD BE PROTECTING AMERICANS FROM GMOs AND ALL THE OTHER POISONS IT’S ALLOWING INTO OUR FOOD, AIR AND WATERS

  48. This is forcing me to look for food products that are produced in other countries rather than the U.S.A. USDA, Congress and Trump must reverse their decisions to allow GMO products to be hidden or allowed to be grown in the U.S.

  49. GMO’s are the reason the US is so sick. Get the GMO’s out of our lives.

  50. GMOs , glyphosate and all the attendant crap Monsanto has concocted sicken and kill not only the animals to which those crops are fed and the people whon eat the flesh of those animals, They also kill the mycorrhizal fungi and all the other microscopic living organisms in the soil that allow it to grow crops ….. Can you think of a more horrible plan to effect the demise of all life on Earth ? eh ?

  51. These are Frankenstein foods and is in keeping with the republican march to roll back any protections for people. The stock price is all that matters. GMO grains were sprayed with 15,000 more pounds of roundup because the seeds were made to withstand that high level.
    These foods can lower our immunity. They also don’t germinate so you have to buy new seeds every yr..
    This is what you get when they promise deregulation

  52. Dear Mr. President, we don’t want gmo foods. They are unsafe and make people sick. Please reverse this decision and give us the choice to label GMO food appropriately. No to gmo.

  53. I had always avoided GMO foods, but didn’t really understand the depths of genetic modification that could be involved. I assumed it was to make crops more hardy against insects or drought, etc. Then I read an article a couple of months ago about how a grain was modified by attaching liver genes. The point being that this crop was harvested to make medication. I was shocked. And, as could reasonably be expected, the genetically modified grain was contaminating other fields where crops were grown for animal feed or human food products.
    I was completely flabbergasted. Companies have lobbied hard to avoid having to label GMO products. And now I am also concerned about those labeled nonGMO, given the contamination potential. I think there should be a lot more requirements for GMO crops and some limits on what can be allowed. If we live in an area that could possibly be affected, we need to know exactly what the modification is and where the crop is being grown. Even if a product is labeled nonGMO, we need to know more about the environs and tighter rules about what nonGMO means. I think we need more education and media coverage of the types of genetic modification that are being done and what the result of exposure could be. Most people have no idea of the potential dangers of genetically modified foods and other products.

  54. This is appalling. While the press is fixated on every nasty comment by Trump, he is dismantling our freedom to eat pure food without pesticides. We should advertise the, “Glyphosate in every bite” new Trump food policy.

  55. GMO’s are a recognized health hazard. Other, truly free countries, have already banned them. Now it’s time to make
    America great and follow their lead – BAN GMO

  56. I go to great lengths to protect my family from GMOs. We must have required labeling to protect families who care about these issues. Please don’t make personal responsibility impossible for us by lessening labeling restrictions of GMOs

  57. Foxes guarding the hen house… wow, how smart. I guess using that same failed logic we should have rapists and child molesters working in schools, officiating and chaperoning sporting events for kids, and coming into our homes to work on public utilities…. Yeah, let’s let those who DO IT, regulate it.
    Just another chapter in the dumbing down of America, the confirmation of criminals to government offices, and the refusal of congress to establish meaningful background checks on people who want to buy weapons…. yea amerika.

  58. We all have suffered some kind of health problem & attributed it to things that are normal. After reading all sorts of medical information, I see that a lot of these things are a result of an attack from Monsanto & other large chemical corporations that have been approved by the government. GMO’s have been attached to all sorts of health problems that big pharma gets the financial rewards from. It’s real funny that Europe doesn’t allow GMO’s there & their health is far better than ours. It’s time to be more forceful in Congress about the choices that have been made against us. I’m would be willing to bet that those with money DO NOT buy anything that isn’t organic.

  59. My cats are my indicators that food is being altered. Years ago, my cats stopped eating anything with salmon. And now we have cloned fish to eat, exposed. They won’t eat tuna. Hum, checking the label….oh now the altered fish is masked in vegetable broth. We’ll eat anything, but cats…..yep, they’re picky eaters! Maybe I should re-label that part. Cats are clean eaters.

  60. Mr President, would you want to be eating the mutated foods your promoting? even if you do, most americans dont!. make America great by making our food normal and great for eating.

  61. Synthetic organic chemicals were developed in the early 1900’s. One could argue that this was a simple extension of basic chemistry, since these chemicals were made of the same elements as “natural” chemicals. Yet the massive production and distribution of synthetic chemicals showed us that many of them had unexpected dangers for human health and the environment.
    We simply cannot anticipate the unintended consequences of GE plants and animals. As the Institute for Responsible Technology has noted, the genetic engineering process creates massive collateral damage, causing mutations in hundreds or thousands of locations throughout the plant’s DNA. Natural genes can be deleted or permanently turned on or off, and hundreds may change their behavior. Even the inserted gene can be damaged or rearranged, and may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease.
    Already there is a significant body of evidence pointing to the dangers of GE crops already on the market. For example, GE foods may make us allergic to non-GE foods, cause liver problems, and lead to reproductive problems.

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