HARTFORD, CT (December 6th, 2012) – GMO FREE CT will hold a rally on December 12, 2012 at noon in Hartford. The rally will be held at Minuteman Park in front of the Armory, which is across the street from the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Avenue. GMO FREE CT invites you to join them and let your voice be heard as we ask our legislators to pass a GMO labeling bill, which would mandate the labeling of all foods derived from the process of genetic engineering, during the 2013 legislative session.
GMO Free CT is a grass roots organization educating consumers, farmers, and the government of CT about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOS) and advocating for our right to know what is in our food. Over 60 countries throughout the world already mandate GMO labeling leaving the United States as one of the only industrialized countries in the world that does not mandate GMO labeling. Those who advocate for labeling say we have a fundamental right to know what is in our food and that whether GMOs are safe for human consumption or not is irrelevant when considering whether to label GMOs. “It is unacceptable that as a mother of three young children, I do not have the right to choose whether or not to feed my family GMOs. The time for Americans to be in the dark about what they are eating is over. We will not rest until we can make decisions for ourselves as to whether we want to consume GMOs or not,” stated Tara Cook-Littman, mother of three and leader of GMO Free CT.With the rise of genetically engineered soybeans, corn, cotton, canola, and sugar beets, it is estimated that over 80% of processed foods on supermarket shelves now contain genetically engineered ingredients. To that end, consumer choice is important now more than ever. Zofia Hausman, a British film maker who recently travelled to CT to interview members of GMO Free CT has observed the change in perspectives: “The American consumer has woken up in the last few years and feels unnerved by the smokescreen surrounding our food supply. The demand for transparency is peaking and I would say that the GMO labeling movement is a reflection of this. It’s about self-awareness, personal responsibility and choice.” Last year a GMO labeling bill was voted out of the Environment Committee with a bi-partisan vote of 23-6, but was never called for a vote in the general assembly. Recently Prop 37, a GMO labeling ballot initiative in California, failed to pass after those in opposition to Prop 37 spent $48 million dollars to defeat the initiative, but that has not deterred GMO labeling activists throughout the country. The grass roots campaigns in 34 states have joined together to form the Coalition of States for GMO labeling. Aside from CT, other Northeast states to join the coalition include: Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Bill Duesing, Executive director of CT-NOFA, recently testified in front of the GMO Labeling Legislative Task Force and told the legislators that “the currently dominant industrial food system is dependant on our ignorance,” and urged legislators to pay attention to who is financing the opposition to GMO labeling because “they are the ones who currently control the food system.” At 1:30 PM, following the rally, the GMO Labeling Legislative Task Force, chaired by Representative Phil Miller, will hold its final meeting of the year in the Legislative Office Building. The meeting is open to the public. Public interest Attorney, Steven Druker, will testify via skype about the FDA’s position on GMOs. Representative Miller believes, “Our economy works best when consumer citizens make informed choices, GMO labeling will allow for choices to be made. GMO Labeling will also further enhance the quality and acclaim of our local harvests, and we know that it is in our best interests to increase Connecticut Agriculture.”
For more information about GMO FREE CT and the rally, please contact Tara Cook-Littman at 917-602-0855 or Tara@GMOFreeCT.org and visit the GMO Free CT website www.gmofreect.org.
