UPDATE GM: Genetically

Modified foods

GE: Genetically Engineered foods

What are they?

• Pesticides/Insecticides• Herbicides (Round-Up most common)• Pharmaceuticals• Bacteria (Bt)• Other species (flounder genes in tomatoes

for cold storage)

• ocean pout (eel-like fish) genes in salmon for larger and faster growth

Major GE growers:

United States – largest growerCanadaArgentinaBrazilChinaIndia by default – trade agreements

GE Foods• milk and all milk products (rBgh)• corn (86% of US crop) …now sweet corn• soy (90% of US crop)• Canola oil (93% - Canada)• sugar beets (95% for sugar industries:

candy…)

GE Foods

• cotton (93%) cottonseed oil• (Hawaiian) papaya • (some) zucchini and yellow squash• (some) rice• (some) tomatoes

FDA approved but on tentative hold

• salmon • alfalfa• wheat

• Dow’s 2-4-D (agent orange) corn

Over 40 nations ban GE foods

• Lack of quality control• Lack of regulation (industry regulates self)• Growing number of confirmed studies

proving dangers• Ecological concerns

Corporate Stance

We support a moratorium on the planting of GE (genetically engineered) crops pending environmental and human safety studies. Until such time as this technology is proven safe, all foods containing GE ingredients should be labeled.

June 2004

Companies

• Monsanto (St. Louis)

• Dow (Midland, MI)

• Syngenta (Switzerland)

• ADM (Decatur, IL)

• Cargill (Minnetonka, MN)

Industrial Claims

• increase yields • decrease use of chemicals• increase nutritional content• “We need GE foods to feed the

world.”

Issues – What has happened?

• adverse animal/human health effects• cross contamination with native species• organic farmers losing certification & crops

due to contamination• loss of pure genetic strains• super weeds from chemical use

Issues – What has happened?

• increased chemical use poisoning air, water, soil

• loss of farmer autonomy

• victim farmers - Monsanto suing farmers when farmers crops contaminated by GE

Issues – What has happened?• use of political trade agreements forcing

poorer nations to accept GE foods as requirement of aid

Since mid 1990s ¼ million Indian farmers have committed suicide

Ntl Grass Roots Campaign

Just Label It

State Initiatives• California – on Nov ballot• Oregon – getting signatures for ballot• Hawaii – Right2Know• Connecticut, Vermont, Minnesota – lawsuit

threats by Monsanto • Washington – Monsanto-sponsored chairs

in agri committee

Just Label It

Illinois• HB 1429 • all foods containing or produced with GE

material must be clearly marked with a label placed in a conspicuous place

Just Label It

Illinois• Introduced 2/8/11• Read and made its way into Committee• Languished for months• Re-referred to Rules Committee 3/9/12

Just Label It

Federal • Consumers Right to Know About

Genetically Engineered Food Act• Senate voted it down 73-26 (June 2012)

• Durbin voted against labeling• Kirk a “no vote” (not present)

Just Label It

Ntl Grass Roots Campaign

Just Label It

International Labeling

•India became the 50th nation to require labeling of GE foods (June 2012)

•It joins the European Union, Japan, China…. Just Label It

What Can We do?

• Support all labeling efforts

• Wherever you are on the issue…. Know when you are purchasing

GE foods

Tips for avoiding GM cropsBuy Organic Products listed as “natural” are not GM/GE or chemical

freeLook for “Non-GMO” Labels Avoid at-risk ingredients listed on back (Non-GM products are mixed with GM at granaries,

dairies, etc.)

Shopping Guide: Unless specified as organic, the following ingredients will contain GMO/GE

• Canola oil • Corn - dextrose, flour, fructose, glucose, gluten, high fructose,

maltodextrin, meal, oil, starch, syrup • Cottonseed oil• Meat - Meat and dairy products usually come from animals that have

eaten GM feed.• Milk and milk products (unless labeled rbGH free) • Soy - beans, flour, isoflavone, isolate, lecithin, nuts, oil, protein,

sauce, or US produced/processed edamame, tofu, miso, or tempeh • Sweeteners using sugar beets, aspartame, Nutri-sweet,

(Anything not listed as 100% cane sugar)• Vegetable Oil - Most are made from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed • Vitamins - Vitamin C often made from corn. Vitamin E usually made

from soy. Vitamins A, B2, B6, B12 may be derived from GMOs. Vitamin D and K may have "carriers" derived from GM corn sources.

AJ Adkins stood up to give his Bar Mitzvah speech, linking the passage into the

promised land with GMO foods and thus educating the guests.