Farmer Leslie
In the Brooder
- Feb 25, 2015
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In late 2013 I circulated a call to action to support Vermont’s efforts to pass a GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling law. A reply came in from the opposition arguing that to condemn GMOs was backwards thinking akin to denying the evolution. I countered that the proposed legislation addressed people’s right to know what was in their food, not the validity of genetic research. I then stepped out of bounds and revealed that I did in fact oppose GMOs, but not because of the freakish tampering with genes. I opposed GMOs because the herbicides used with GMO crops were killing the soil.
Vermont’s GMO labeling law passed, and if it goes into effect on schedule in July of 2016, it will be the first active GMO labeling law in the nation. Twenty-five other states have considered GMO labeling laws, and Connecticut and Maine passed labeling requirements, but their legislation contains trigger clauses requiring multiple other states to pass labeling requirements before their own go into effect.
Big Food is freaked out about the Vermont law for obvious reasons. Separate labels for food sold in Vermont would be a real headache for Big Food. Ninety percent of what we eat and drink contains GMO ingredients either directly in the form of soy and corn products, especially high fructose corn syrup, or indirectly in the form of dairy foods from cows fed on soy and corn products and meat from beef, pork, and poultry fed on soy and corn.
Congress is trying to pass a law, in effect, banning GMO labeling which would invalidate the Vermont labeling law. This when a recent poll shows over 90 percent of Americans think GMO food should be labeled. But why? Are people afraid of GMO food? And if so, what are they afraid of?
A couple weeks ago I came across a blog written by a seventh generation farmer making the same argument I made in 2013 about the herbicide used with GMO corn and soy killing the soil...READ MORE at http://www.leslielytle.net/#!blog/c7bm
Vermont’s GMO labeling law passed, and if it goes into effect on schedule in July of 2016, it will be the first active GMO labeling law in the nation. Twenty-five other states have considered GMO labeling laws, and Connecticut and Maine passed labeling requirements, but their legislation contains trigger clauses requiring multiple other states to pass labeling requirements before their own go into effect.
Big Food is freaked out about the Vermont law for obvious reasons. Separate labels for food sold in Vermont would be a real headache for Big Food. Ninety percent of what we eat and drink contains GMO ingredients either directly in the form of soy and corn products, especially high fructose corn syrup, or indirectly in the form of dairy foods from cows fed on soy and corn products and meat from beef, pork, and poultry fed on soy and corn.
Congress is trying to pass a law, in effect, banning GMO labeling which would invalidate the Vermont labeling law. This when a recent poll shows over 90 percent of Americans think GMO food should be labeled. But why? Are people afraid of GMO food? And if so, what are they afraid of?
A couple weeks ago I came across a blog written by a seventh generation farmer making the same argument I made in 2013 about the herbicide used with GMO corn and soy killing the soil...READ MORE at http://www.leslielytle.net/#!blog/c7bm
