A coalition of seven US consumer and environmental groups announced this month the formation of a major new US campaign to keep genetically engineered ingredients off grocery store shelves, unless they are thoroughly safety tested and labelled.
As the first formal action of its campaign, Genetically Engineered Food Alert (GEFoodAlert) called on the Campbell Soup Company to remove genetically engineered ingredients from its products, unless they are thoroughly tested and labelled. The campaign also announced plans to add to efforts already in progress seeking removal of genetically engineered ingredients from Kellogg's products.
The campaign was launched in 21 cities across the US, with GEFoodAlert members and local activists demonstrating outside of supermarkets and informing shoppers of the campaigns against Campbell's and Kellogg's. GEFoodAlert invited shoppers to join the campaign by visiting its web site (<http://www.gefoodalert.org>), and asked them to register their concerns with Campbell's and Kellogg's directly by calling and by sending letters to the companies urging them to remove genetically engineered ingredients from their products.
For more than 130 years, Campbell's has built its name on "good, wholesome, high-quality food". Because of consumer concern, Campbell's, like Kellogg's, has ceased using genetically engineered soy and corn in its products in Europe. However, in a letter dated June 9, 2000, Campbell's US headquarters confirmed that they do use genetically engineered corn and soy.
"As an American family icon associated with trust and wholesomeness, Campbell's has a responsibility to the American public", said Andrew Kimbrell, of the Center for Food Safety. "As it has already done in Europe, Campbell's should take genetically engineered ingredients out of its food here so that consumers can be assured that the food they are eating is safe."
In the US, the majority of people support labelling. A poll conducted last year for Time magazine and CNN showed that 81% want "genetically engineered foods labelled as such". GEFoodAlert organisers believe that consumers should have a right to know that they are eating genetically engineered foods.
The group has also called on the US Food and Drug Administration to remove genetically engineered food and crops from the market, unless they have been properly safety tested, they are labelled to ensure the consumer's right-to-know, and the biotechnology corporations that manufacture them are held responsible for any harm.
The campaign is endorsed by more than 250 organisations and individuals, including consumer, environmental and public health groups, as well as chefs, religious leaders, doctors, and scientists. Planned activities include a series of reports highlighting the problems with genetically engineered foods, channelling consumer comments to government and corporate officials, demonstrations and other educational events, and grassroots organising.
The organisations that created GEFoodAlert are Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, National Environmental Trust, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide Action Network North America, and the State Public Interest Research Groups.
[Abridged from PANUPS, the weekly email news service of the Pesticide Action Network North America, a non-profit and non-governmental organisation working to advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide. Visit <http://www.panna.org>.]