A Consumer Reports poll of the nation found that:
92% Think GE Food Should Be Labeled Before Sold
92% Think GE Food Should Meet Government Safety Standards Before Sold
92% Demand the Government Label GE Salmon
An overwhelming majority of U.S. consumers think that before GMO food is sold, it should be labeled accordingly (92% of consumers) and meet long-term safety standards set by the government (92%). The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) currently does not require labeling or pre-market safety assessments of GE food.
92% of Americans specifically agreed that the government should require that GE salmon be labeled before it is sold. The FDA is considering whether to approve a GE salmon, which is designed to grow to maturity twice as fast as normal salmon, and has said that it does not intend to require labeling. In addition, nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers polled said that it’s crucial for them to avoid GE ingredients when purchasing food. The poll data can be found online here [PDF].
The polling data comes as numerous states, including Massachusetts, Oregon, Colorado, and New York—where a vote is possible this week in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee—are considering mandatory labeling of GE crops. Vermont recently became the first state in the nation to require labels on GE foods. Connecticut and Maine have also passed labeling legislation, but implementation of the laws in those states is contingent upon nearby states passing similar laws.
States are moving ahead of the FDA, which so far supports only voluntary labeling of GE foods, despite receiving nearly two million public comments urging mandatory federal labeling. Sixty-four countries around the world already require GE foods to be labeled, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Brazil, India, Russia, and China.
Click here to send a message to your state legislature, tell them that you want to the right to know what is in your food. It is time to label GMOs.
