I was stunned to receive an email from the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT). In the email they shared that Connecticut, which was poised to become one of the first States to approve Mandatory Labeling for GMO, had an abrupt reversal by the Governor and his attorneys. According to IRT an overwhelming number of Connecticutians and a majority of legislators were in favor of this labeling. The Governor, however, has removed a section of the bill that would require the labeling and the bill, in effect, has no power.
I grew up in Connecticut. My husband and I moved back there a couple of times when the situation permitted. Although I now live in Texas and love my life here, when people ask me where I am from, the answer is Connecticut. I was pleased to see that this small State (third smallest in the nation) was poised to make such a historical, watershed moment happen. And then it didn't. It makes me wonder who else was present in that room with Governor Malloy and his legal staff.
I wrote to the Governor because I want him to know that this is wrong. We have the right to know what's in our food. We are demanding to know what's in our food. Because I believe in and want this mandatory labeling to happen I am sharing my letter:
Re: GMO Labeling
Dear Governor Malloy,
As a former resident of Connecticut I was excited and proud to see the State that I consider my home state to be on the forefront of this important issue. I confess that I personally do not like or agree with the use of GMO products. However I also feel that it is important to clearly label these products so that those of us who want to know can be aware of it's presence in our food.
This current situation reminds me of the of the issue with labeling of rBST milk when there was an enormous legal battle against farmers and dairy producers who wanted to mark their milk as free of this hormone. Ultimately they were allowed to mark their products as free of this added hormone along with a disclaimer which stated "No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST-treated and non-rbST-treated cows." The consumers, however, were able to make a decision on their own because they knew what was in their food.
Monsanto is responsible for rBST. They are also the largest single GMO producer in the world. I believe their goal is to prevent people from knowing which foods contain this manipulation because their corporate profit line is believed to be far more important that the rights of consumers who want to know.
Governor Malloy, I urge you to stand up for the rights of those you represent and allow this legislation in it's original form to pass. It is your responsibility as their elected official to represent that overwhelming majority of your citizens who want to know.
Sincerely,
Mira Dessy
1 comment:
This was the Gov's way of "getting back" at the Senate for not passing his Education Reform bill that would have put schools in the hands of business people with no educational background. I am ashamed to have him in my state.
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