Please just label my food
GMOs.
By now, you probably have heard this term plenty of times. Maybe you know exactly what that means and maybe you don’t.
In case you don’t, GMO stands for “Genetically Modified Organism.” Quick explanation: they are used to help crops multiply faster or fight off pests.
Some would argue that GMOs are completely safe and actually helpful because they allow farmers to have more crops that are sustainable.
Others argue that GMOs are completely UNsafe because they are linked to health problems like cancer, infertility, and autism.
The fact is, while we could argue these two sets of points until pigs fly, the bigger issue is this: we as a society — the land of the free and the home of the brave — don’t know for certain what is in our food because there is no law requiring food makers to label the potential GMO ingredients.
If GMOs are completely safe — great! More power to those who are using them to produce and distribute crops.
If they are unsafe — as much research is beginning to illustrate — then I want to know so I can protect my family.
Labeling food can’t be that hard.
After all, mattress producers have to label what’s in a mattress — and I’m not eating those.
So, food maker people, please just label my food.
This will give me the chance, as a consumer and a mom, to make my own decisions about whether or not I want to eat what you’re offering.
Chances are, people will still buy your products.
We’ll just appreciate you more for being open, honest, and straightforward.
Last year in California, the people tried to have a proposition passed to make GMO labeling mandatory (Prop 37). Sadly, it didn’t pass.
This November, the state of Washington is trying to do the same thing.
Initiative 522 would require that food be labeled to include all ingredients and whether or not they are GMO-laden. Adding this to the ingredient list or label is simple as American companies are already required to label GMOs in any products sent to or sold to 64 other countries around the world.
Easy, right? I think so.
I support I-522 and encourage those in Washington state to vote YES on I-522. I hope that this conversation and initiative spills over into other states — including mine — so that all of us in this supposed most wonderful country on the planet are given the knowledge we deserve.
Join me for a Twitter rally on October 17, 2013, from 9-10:30 EST to show our support of Washington and I-522. Use the hashtag #Yeson522 to participate. You can even win prizes just for being awesome and helping spread the word.
See you there.
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