Oct 12, 2012
Consumer advocates calling on First Lady Michelle Obama to press her husband to keep his promise to have genetically modified food labeled brought their message to the White House on Thursday.
Their message came through 203,000 signatures from an Organic Consumers Association petition demanding that President Obama keep the promise he made in 2007 when the then-presidential candidate said: "We'll let folks know whether their food has been genetically modified because Americans should know what they're buying."
The battle over labeling genetically modified food (GMOs) has surged this election season with California's Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, on the ballot.
"It's time for President Obama to honor his 2007 campaign promise to label GMOs," said Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director, the Organic Consumers Association, who delivered the signatures to the White House. "Recent studies reinforce what scientists and doctors have been saying for years: genetically modified organisms are not safe, and should not be hidden in 80% of our foods without our knowledge. The OCA calls on President Obama to join the 90% of Americans who have already said they want GMOs labeled, and to endorse Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act."
Zack Kaldveer, Assistant Media Director for the Yes on Proposition 37 Campaign, also sees the importance of the President's endorsement of the ballot measure.
"Prop 37 would give California consumers the right to know what we're eating and decide for ourselves what is best for our families," said Kaldveer. "We appreciate President Obama's support for the labeling of genetically engineered foods, and we urge he endorse the nation's one opportunity to make that a reality."
Figures from Maplight, a nonpartisan guide to ballot measures, show that the group fighting to keep genetically modified food unlabeled has dramatically outspent the Yes on 37 campaign, with $34.5 million raised compared to $4.1 million raised, according to data up to Sept. 30.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Consumer advocates calling on First Lady Michelle Obama to press her husband to keep his promise to have genetically modified food labeled brought their message to the White House on Thursday.
Their message came through 203,000 signatures from an Organic Consumers Association petition demanding that President Obama keep the promise he made in 2007 when the then-presidential candidate said: "We'll let folks know whether their food has been genetically modified because Americans should know what they're buying."
The battle over labeling genetically modified food (GMOs) has surged this election season with California's Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, on the ballot.
"It's time for President Obama to honor his 2007 campaign promise to label GMOs," said Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director, the Organic Consumers Association, who delivered the signatures to the White House. "Recent studies reinforce what scientists and doctors have been saying for years: genetically modified organisms are not safe, and should not be hidden in 80% of our foods without our knowledge. The OCA calls on President Obama to join the 90% of Americans who have already said they want GMOs labeled, and to endorse Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act."
Zack Kaldveer, Assistant Media Director for the Yes on Proposition 37 Campaign, also sees the importance of the President's endorsement of the ballot measure.
"Prop 37 would give California consumers the right to know what we're eating and decide for ourselves what is best for our families," said Kaldveer. "We appreciate President Obama's support for the labeling of genetically engineered foods, and we urge he endorse the nation's one opportunity to make that a reality."
Figures from Maplight, a nonpartisan guide to ballot measures, show that the group fighting to keep genetically modified food unlabeled has dramatically outspent the Yes on 37 campaign, with $34.5 million raised compared to $4.1 million raised, according to data up to Sept. 30.
Consumer advocates calling on First Lady Michelle Obama to press her husband to keep his promise to have genetically modified food labeled brought their message to the White House on Thursday.
Their message came through 203,000 signatures from an Organic Consumers Association petition demanding that President Obama keep the promise he made in 2007 when the then-presidential candidate said: "We'll let folks know whether their food has been genetically modified because Americans should know what they're buying."
The battle over labeling genetically modified food (GMOs) has surged this election season with California's Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, on the ballot.
"It's time for President Obama to honor his 2007 campaign promise to label GMOs," said Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director, the Organic Consumers Association, who delivered the signatures to the White House. "Recent studies reinforce what scientists and doctors have been saying for years: genetically modified organisms are not safe, and should not be hidden in 80% of our foods without our knowledge. The OCA calls on President Obama to join the 90% of Americans who have already said they want GMOs labeled, and to endorse Proposition 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act."
Zack Kaldveer, Assistant Media Director for the Yes on Proposition 37 Campaign, also sees the importance of the President's endorsement of the ballot measure.
"Prop 37 would give California consumers the right to know what we're eating and decide for ourselves what is best for our families," said Kaldveer. "We appreciate President Obama's support for the labeling of genetically engineered foods, and we urge he endorse the nation's one opportunity to make that a reality."
Figures from Maplight, a nonpartisan guide to ballot measures, show that the group fighting to keep genetically modified food unlabeled has dramatically outspent the Yes on 37 campaign, with $34.5 million raised compared to $4.1 million raised, according to data up to Sept. 30.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.