When certain soy fields are sprayed with the weed killer Roundup, the soy plants are left standing while the weeds are killed, according to Oregon Concerned Citizens for Safe Food. These soy plants have had a gene added that has a natural pesticide, making them resistant to Roundup. Currently the Food and Drug Administration is not required to label the genetic addition. This has motivated a coalition of health, environmental and consumer protection groups to gather the 80,000 signatures required to put an initiative on Oregon’s November 2002 ballot that would require producers to label genetically modified foods.
And for the concerned Oregon group, today marks “Give Oregon a Choice: 10,000 Signatures Day,” and members will be gathering signatures on campus.
Genetically modified foods have had genes for a specific trait transferred from one species to another. According to information provided by campaign coordinator Natalie White, gene transfers have been used in more than 60 crops and animals, including strawberries that have “anti-freeze” genes, cows with extra genes that increase milk production, and corn, cotton and soybeans that boast a genetically transferred natural insecticide.
Biotechnology research company Monsanto said on its Web site that biotechnology is “one important piece of the puzzle of sustainable development,” enabling farmers to grow more crops on the same plot of land. But White and other OCCSF members point to studies showing that genetically modified foods may lead to cancer, increased allergens and the evolution of pesticide-resistant insects.
White added that more research needs to be done to know the effects of genetic alteration, but in the meantime, Americans have a “right to know” that certain foods have been modified.
White has five interns from the University working with her on the campaign. Today, they are collecting signatures at various locations around Eugene, including the corner of 13th Avenue and University Street, Lane Community College, Oasis stores and PC Market of Choice stores.
White pointed out that many other countries outside the United States already have labeling requirements, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In Europe, labeling isn’t required, but European farmers don’t grow genetically altered foods because consumers refuse to buy them, she said.
“The big question is, ‘Why are Americans not concerned?’” she said.
Sophomore political science and environmental studies major Jordanna Black is one of White’s interns. She worked at a booth at the fall Street Faire and said she was shocked by how little people knew about genetically engineered foods. She said that both people for and against the issue benefit from having genetically altered foods labeled.
“If people are for the issue or against the issue, it is still important that they have a choice,” she said. “People just need to know.”
Black suspects that the reason Americans know little about the issue is because the FDA is supported by various interest groups that promote genetically modified foods.
“(The FDA) is watching out for its own economic interests rather than protecting consumers, which is supposed to be its job,” she said.But Lisa Pry, spokeswoman for Bio — a research company supporting biotechnology — said the FDA already has a strong labeling process in place. The FDA doesn’t label genetically modified foods because they aren’t any different from conventionally grown foods, she said.
“Were there possible allergens or more nutrients, the FDA would be required to label that,” she said. “But the FDA sees no reason to label the process used to develop the end product.”
So far, OCCSF has collected more than 20,000 signatures. White said she hopes to collect enough signatures to make Oregon the first state to label genetically modified foods.
“This is a unique opportunity because all eyes are on Oregon to see how people respond,” she said.