Brek says:
I just want to say that I love you…what you at ANH are doing, what you are all about, the whole enchilada. I really mean it. When you people showed up, it was like an answer to a prayer. Finally, a truly commonsense and effective mechanism for citizens to respond to the looming bureaucratic overkill in Washington that has been threatening health freedom at every opportunity, especially in recent decades….Thank you for continuing to get this done right with eloquent and passionate advocacy for the truth and for facilitating an effective grassroots response! You are to be commended for a magnificent job and for having the integrity and foresight to understand how to do it!
Thank you, Brek—and thanks to and all of you. It is not hyperbole to say that you are our lifeblood. We do the work we do for—and through—you, and together we can move mountains, as Camille points out:
Camille says:
Between Big Pharma and Big Farma, us little peons trying to eat right and supplement the vitamins/minerals that are missing from our depleted soils don’t stand a chance unless we unite!
Amen to that!
Gina writes:
How would you suggest someone take action in their own state [to oppose genetically engineered foods]? I would love to know how these states were successful in establishing these bills! Would it be different than getting other bills established and passed?
These bills exist because activists just like you asked the very same questions. There are a number of different ways to have bills introduced in your state. The first thing to do is find out if there are GE food bills pending in your state, and determine if there are any folks already working on introducing them. You can do that a few different ways.
You can go to your state government’s legislative branch webpage and search for bills containing the phrases “genetically modified” or “genetically engineered.”
If your state does not have pending GE legislation and there’s no one working on the issue, take a look at existing bills around the country. Select a bill such as Labeling Genetically Engineered Food, and contact your local state representative and ask them if they be interested in introducing legislation relating to GE foods. If that door closes, open new ones! Ask your representative if they know of another member who would be interested, or perhaps contact the legislature’s environmental committee and seek feedback about GE food interests there.
If that fails, it’s time for people power! Collect signatures and send emails, and contact your representatives letting them know their constituents want them to act on the GE food issue. You can also start the ball rolling in local media, by asking your local news organizations to cover the story and bring attention to the dangers of genetically engineered foods.
Please keep us up to date on your efforts!
Thought I would share what Congressman George Miller in California shared with me today-
Dear Mr. Potter:
..*ALFALFA : Maintain the USDA ban on genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa
..*gkl April 7, 2011
..*(Cat. 11170)
Close Thank you for contacting me expressing concerns regarding genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa.
I share your concerns, and joined many of my colleagues in a bicameral letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack asking that GE alfalfa not be deregulated. There are numerous reasons to believe that GE alfalfa will contaminate non-GE alfalfa crops and result in significant economic harm to both organic and conventional agricultural industries.
Consumer demand for organic products has grown substantially over the last 20 years, from $3.6 billion in 1997 to more than $29 billion today. American consumers today expect the USDA certified organic seal to represent products free of GE contamination. If the USDA organic seal no longer represents a GE-free product, the integrity of the entire organic industry will be compromised.
It is important to point out that this is not just about the organic industry. According to the Foreign Agriculture Service at USDA, conventional alfalfa producers could lose at least $197 million in alfalfa seed and forage exports as a result of GE alfalfa deregulation.
Despite these concerns, Secretary Vilsack announced in January 2011 that the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was granting GE alfalfa full deregulation. I was disappointed by this decision, and hope the USDA will reconsider its finding in light of the potential economic impacts as well as concerns that have been raised about the adequacy of the environmental review process.
I think we (the peons) need to really get pissed off and raise some noise w/ Washington over this GE seed business. I live in MT. and our sugar beets are GE now (no choice by the farmer) and I think our wheat is going that direction too as is corn……. our St. Senator in DC is an organic farmer and I’ve written to him on this matter but got a “rubber stamp” letter back…..
I have been told g.e. is also in the business of drugs and they have a stong bond with our so called president if this is true”smell a rat” and also they get really big tax breaks
It seems that some people want to put restrictions on what people want to buy for their benefit and up paying a great deal more for a controlled product which may not have the benefits.
Big Farma. Perfect name. Whoever is responsible…kudos.
I just received a reply to my e-mail to Senator Debbie Stabenow concerning the issue of GM alfalfa. I am sorry to report that her comments indicate that she is firmly in the camp of big agriculture and the USDA. This is too bad since she is on the Senate Agriculture Committee and should be in a position to do something about this issue.. Here are her comments:
United States Senator Debbie Stabenow – Michigan
April 15, 2011
Dear William,
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about genetically modified (GM) alfalfa.
Agriculture is Michigan’s second largest industry, employing one out of four people in our state, and that is due in large part to the strength of family farms. As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am committed to supporting our agricultural economy.
USDA recently determined that GM alfalfa does not present a risk to crop safety. However, I am aware that concern remains about the potential for cross-pollination of GM crops into fields with non-modified crops. I have supported USDA’s stakeholder outreach on cross-pollination as well as increased research to figure out the best way to address these difficult issues. While GM crops offer our nation’s farmers the ability to plant an abundant and affordable crop on less land, I recognize that there are concerns, for example, from the organic community.
I am mindful that we have nearly seven billion mouths to feed worldwide and that we need American leadership and innovation to feed the world. To foster that innovation, we need a regulatory system that is science-based and efficient. I will continue to monitor this issue and will make sure that the regulation of GM foods is based on sound science.
Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
The United States Senate • Washington, DC 20510
stabenow.senate.gov