Health & Fitness
Blog: Care What's in Your Food? Vote Yes on 37
We have a historic opportunity to secure the right to know what's in our food by passing Proposition 37 this November: The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.
Most Americans consume “genetically engineered” (also called GMO) foods daily without knowing it. Sixty to 70 percent of processed foods contain GMOs. Most canola, corn, and soy crops in the US are GMO.
A GMO is a plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered by genes from other species of plant, animal, virus or bacteria in a laboratory. The risks to human health are serious enough to have caused 40 countries to require labeling of GMO foods, including the European Union, Japan, and China.
Don’t you think it’s time for us to have the right to know what’s in our food too, so we can make informed decisions?
Vote Yes on Proposition 37 to Secure Your RIGHT TO KNOW What’s in Your Food
Proposition 37 will be on the California ballot in November, 2012. It is a very simple, straight-forward measure that would require foods sold in retail stores that are made with genetically-engineered materials to be labeled as such.
There are a few exemptions — the initiative does not require labeling for foods prepared for immediate consumption (for example, restaurants or salad bars), nor does it cover animals that have been injected with growth hormones, fed genetically-engineered feed, or cloned, as long as those animals have not themselves been genetically-engineered.
What You Can Do to Help Get GMO Food Labeling Passed
While some 90 percent of Americans are in favor of labeling, we all need to proactively promote the GMO food labeling measure because the opposition will be spending upwards of $60 million to defeat it.
Here are some simple things you can do to support passage of the food labeling measure:
1. Vote for Prop. 37 this November, The California Right to Know Food Act, and tell everybody you know how important it is that they vote for it too.
2. Get the facts: attend “Speaking Out for Healthier Food, The Truth about GMOs Tour” with Jeffrey M. Smith and Ocean Robbins on August 1, 6:30 pm at the Louden Nelson Community Center. More information at: www.labelgmos.org/gmofreesc/tour (Local sponsors are New Leaf Community Markets and GMO-Free Santa Cruz.)
3. Endorse the food labeling measure – as an individual or business owner at www.carighttoknow.org.
4. Post a window or yard sign – request these on the endorsement form at www.carighttoknow.org.
5. Learn more about the risks of GMOs and the campaign online: www.carighttoknow.org.
6. Become a volunteer with GMO-Free Santa Cruz and help us spread the word by gathering endorsements – even if you have limited time, you can make a difference. Email: gmofreesc@gmail.com
Patti Bond is a volunteer co-coordinator of GMO-Free Santa Cruz. She is a marketing consultant, writer, and publicist. Her business is Bond Marketing Communications. She is the proud to be the publicist for New Leaf Community Markets since 2003.
