If You Eat Food You Need to Know About the Dark Act

If you eat food, or care about someone who does, you need to know

about HR 1599 titled:  The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015.  This bill was recently passed in the United States House of Representatives and, if passed in the Senate, and signed into law, would preempt any state or local laws requiring labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMO’s).  For all practical purposes clear, easy for the public to understand, GMO labeling requirements would not exist.  The following link provides the text of the bill.  https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1599/text

According to Maplight.com the total contributions from interest groups supporting the bill given to House members was $25,071,958 versus $6,964,380 from interest groups opposing it.  This link provides a breakdown by House members receiving contributions (those statistics are very interesting)http://maplight.org/us-congress/bill/114-hr-1599/7104271/total-contributionsand discloses how they voted.  According to Maplight, it “Includes reported contributions to congressional campaigns of House members in office on day of vote, from interest groups invested in the vote according to MapLight, April 1, 2013 – March 31, 2015”. 

Proponents argue that it is now settled that GMO produced food is safe.  The bill’s sponsor, Representative Mike Pompeo is quoted as saying:  “the legislation takes an approach that is far better than a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling laws” and that “GMOs are safe and have a number of important benefits for people and our planet.”

Many opponents of the bill title it the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act.  This seems more descriptive of the contents of the proposed legislation. Opponents argue that passage:

• would negate all existing GMO labeling laws;
• would give jurisdiction over non-GMO certification to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which doesn’t have the same rigor as independent certification programs
• would preempt state and local laws regarding theproduction of GMO crops, not just labeling.
• would expand the definition of “natural” to include some genetically modified ingredients.

http://civileats.com/2015/07/20/5-things-to-know-about-the-dark-act/

 THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST GMO LABELING

 Recently, an apparently well organized campaign has resulted in articles which contain statements like:  “…overwhelming scientific evidence that proves that GMO’s are safe…”, “The scientific debate itself is largely over: GMO foods are no less safe than other foods.”  “Scientists overwhelmingly think GMOs are safe to eat”.  An August 18, 2015 article in Scientific American written by By Stefaan Blancke begins with the title:  “Why People Oppose GMOs Even Though Science Says They Are Safe”

Despite the campaign extolling the safety and virtues of GMO products, polling data discloses that the American public wants GMO products labeled as such. If one were to follow the money, those who would monetarily benefit, if this bill becomes law, would be those companies who produce, or are associated with GMO products.

 ARE GMO FOODS SAFE?

There is, of course, great debate about this, but the articles alluded to above neglect to say, and it would be wise to consider, that:

• “In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs.”http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/
• Genetic modification of a plant allows it to survive when sprayed with glyphosate (the primary ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup) while the weeds surrounding it die from the glyphosate spray.
• A March 25, 2015 article published on foodtank.com states:

“The World Health Organization (WHO) apparently has not gotten the memo about the supposed consensus on GMOs being safe. On March 20, 2015 the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released a new analysis of the evidence on five organophosphate pesticides, including glyphosate, the herbicide in Monsanto’s Roundup weed-killer. The international scientific body concluded that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”http://foodtank.com/news/2015/03/world-health-organization-gm-crop-herbicide-a-probable-carcinogen

• Many experts link systemic herbicides such as glyphosate (Roundup- routinely used on GMO plants) and systemic pesticides as contributing factors in the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of our bee population,
• Mothers around the world are concerned about the consequences to infants and children who ingest GMO foods.   The Safe Baby website, quotingbiologist David Schubert warns, “Since children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems, if the GM food is given to them without proper testing, they will be the experimental animals. If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop.”http://www.safbaby.com/part-2-why-babies-and-children-are-most-vulnerable-to-gmo/
• Hundreds of scientists have warned that there is no scientific uniformity of belief on GMO safety. Many of these experts are particularly concerned about the lack of studies on the long term effects of GMO’s   MintPress News Desk | June 10, 2015http://www.mintpressnews.com/hundreds-of-scientists-warn-no-consensus-on-safety-of-genetically-modified-crops/206427/

 CONCLUSION

Are GMO foods safe or are they not safe?  There are compelling studies and arguments on both sides of the GMO safety issue.  We should each do our own due diligence on the subject.  From my perspective this is one huge experiment, the results of which are not completely known.  All of us, our children, and our children’s children, are the chosen subjects in the giant Petri dish where this experiment is being conducted.  We should at least have the knowledge to opt out of this experiment, and without knowing what we are eating, we can’t.  Perhaps a federal statute requiring all GMO foods to be so labeled would be fairer to the public and its’ right to know.  If you are of the same opinion please feel free to share this with others; and contact your senator to let him, or her, know your opinion.  This link has contact information for U.S. senators.http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/

By Guest Author

p.j. tillman