Proposition 37 Vote Tomorrow!

Hey Everyone! It’s Emily again talking about GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms.  With the election coming up tomorrow, Genetic Engineering and labeling have been a hot topic.  As I stated in a previous blog post about GMOs, there is a California Ballot initiative called Proposition 37 that would mandate special, additional label on products containing GMO ingredients.  This would allow consumers to be more knowledgeable about what exactly they are buying.

Big chemical companies and corporations have been pouring money into advertising and lobbying against this proposition because it will affect their profits once consumers are educated about their food, however we, as consumers, have a Right To Know what we are eating.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recently published an article (http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2012/media/AAAS_GM_statement.pdf) that stated GM food labels could “mislead and falsely alarm consumers.” I have a couple issues with this article.

It mainly talks about how GM crops are “subjected to rigorous analysis and testing in order to receive regulatory approval” but they have not considered that the increase in pesticide use is having detrimental effects on our health and environment!

To get to the bottom of it, I would suggest you check out the Non-GMO Project website (http://www.nongmoproject.org/); especially their “GMO Myths and Truths” page document. Tomorrow, residents in California will vote on Proposition 37 which could forever change the way consumers make decisions.