Don't let Congress destroy GMO labeling: Oppose the DARK Act

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Dana Perls, Friends of the Earth" <foe@foe.org>
Date: May 12, 2014 2:20 PM
Subject: Don't let Congress destroy GMO labeling: Oppose the DARK Act
To: <aquarianm@gmail.com>
Cc:

Dear Daniel,

Tell your representative to oppose the DARK Act.

First the good news: Vermont just became the first state to pass a GMO food labeling law with no strings attached! Oregon, California and Colorado could all be next. People across the U.S. are sending a clear message to the chemical and junk food companies that they can't keep us in the dark about what we're feeding our families.

Now the bad news: In the halls of Congress, GMO and pesticide companies like Monsanto and Dow are partnering with the junk food giants and the Grocery Manufacturing Association to back a bill that will block our right to know if our food is genetically engineered.

Speak up now: Tell Congress to drop this bill and support our fundamental right to know what we're eating!

Introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (Kan.), this bill, HR 4432, is officially called the "Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act." However, critics have nicknamed it the "Deny Americans the Right-to-Know Act," or DARK Act. If passed, the bill would prohibit states from passing their own state-wide GMO labeling laws, prevent states from ensuring GMOs can't be labeled as "natural" and would make "voluntary labeling" the continued federal standard.

Monsanto, the GMA and other Big Food interests spent more than $67 million to (narrowly) defeat state initiatives for GMO labeling in California and Washington. But now that we're starting to win at the state level, they are doubling down and using their corporate lobbying dollars to take away our right to know if we're eating GMOs at the federal level.

We have to stop them. Congress needs to hear from you! Contact your representative today and tell them to oppose the DARK Act!

History shows that voluntary labeling will not work. In the 13 years since the FDA suggested this approach, not a single company has ever voluntarily labeled its products as genetically engineered. "Voluntary labeling" is a ploy to continue to keep consumers in the dark.

Polls show that more than 90 percent of Americans support labeling GMOs. Help us stop Big Food's attempt to subvert our right to know what we're eating. Urge your representative to oppose HR 4432 now.

Standing with you,
Dana Perls and Lisa Archer,
Food and Technology team,
Friends of the Earth