Great news for everyone who eats food in the United States, and wants to know if it contains genetically modified crops or not!
Activists, volunteers and groups like Millions Against Monsanto have secured enough signatures, almost one million, to place a referendum on the November 2012 California ballot that would force food manufacturers to label products containing GMO's. In much of the rest of the world, this is mandatory, and as a result there is almost no GMO food on the shelves. In 40 countries including the entire EU block and even China, you are able to see what you are buying.
"This is the food fight of our lives" says Dr. Mercola, the alternative health author and expert who speaks passionately in this video about the initiative.
He believes this is "the most significant opportunity we may have in our lifetime to improve not only our health, but the long term sustainability of our environment. GMO crops are damaging not only to humans but also to animals, the bee population and the soil.
If the referendum is passed, California will be the first state in the US to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods and food ingredients. It would also outlaw the practice of GMO tainted foods being labeled as "natural".
A win for the California Initiative would be a huge blow to biotech and a huge victory for food activists.
"Monsanto and it's minions will do anything it takes to fight this initiative" Mercola says. Indeed, if consumers in the US see that "Contains GMO" label, doesn't that effectively destroy the ability to sell the products?
This is a historic turning point for food policy in the US.
From The New York Times May 25th 2012
"The most closely watched labeling effort is a proposed ballot initiative in California that cleared a crucial hurdle this month, setting the stage for a probable November vote that could influence not just food packaging but the future of American agriculture.
Tens of millions of dollars are expected to be spent on the election showdown. It pits consumer groups and the organic food industry, both of which support mandatory labeling, against more conventional farmers, agricultural biotechnology companies like Monsanto and many of the nation’s best-known food brands like Kellogg’s and Kraft."
Let the food fight begin! Soon I hope we can look forward supermarkets filled with REAL food, and see the demise of Monsanto, because we're just not buying their destructive and dangerous fake food!