Getting Real

Do you want to live your life with energy and vitality? Learn what real food is and how to easily incorporate it into your every day life! Because our lives are busier than ever, processed, packaged and generally unwholesome foods lacking any nutritional value dominate our diet because of the convenience factor. If you are tired, have digestion problems or other chronic health issues and want to feel better, it's time to stop eating out of packages, stop eating food filled with chemicals and other non food ingredients and start eating fresh, real food. I am a REAL MOM living in the REAL WORLD trying to feed my family REAL FOOD. It isn't always easy, but it is very possible. I hope to help you learn what real food is and then how to make real food a part of your every day life.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

REAL LIFE DEMOCRACY APPARENTLY DOES NOT WORK: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GMO LABELING BILL IN CT?


If not us then who? If not now then when?

I always hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in case you haven't heard, the mandatory GMO labeling bill in CT was chewed up and spit back out by Governor Malloy and his attorneys in a closed door meeting on Friday.  The information was sent to myself and Analiese Paik, my partner in crime and co-founder of Right to Know CT, in an e-mail from a source deep within the administration with the simple words, "It appears that after meeting with the Governor, section 2 will need to be removed."  I had a terrible sinking feeling because I knew immediately what that meant.  Section 2 was the heart of the bill, the section that called for mandatory labeling of all products produced with the process of genetic engineering.  But, in hopes that the glass of wine I just finished over dinner was getting to my head, I quickly pulled up the bill on my iPhone hoping I was mistaken.  As I scrolled down to Section 2, I looked at my husband and said, "The Governor just killed the bill."  The Governor and his lawyers left the bill meaningless and without life.  In an official statement from Right to Know CT by Analiese Paik it was clear that "Right to Know CT will no longer endorse or support HB 5117, An Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Foods. Rep. Richard Roy is our hero and we supported his bill by advocating for its passage through our grassroots campaign. But it no longer reflects his intent to mandate the labeling of GE foods and we feel compelled to register our discontent by withdrawing our support for the bill."

GMOS as described by a child on his sign, Genetically Modified Out of Style Foods
Many people have asked me how I'm feeling about how all of this played out.  As you can imagine, after dedicating 99% of my time to the advocacy efforts for our right to know what is in our food, I was initially quite devastated.  I thought of all those hours I spent away from my children, all the time I spent sitting at my computer, and all the nights I chose not to go out with my friends because I needed to be working on the campaign.  But, after shedding some tears and expressing a lot of anger,  I, along with my fellow advocates came out on the other side feeling more passionate than ever before.  Not to sound melodramatic, but I am fighting for my children's future and the future of every child out there.  It may seem like we lost this battle, but in reality, what happened in CT has only strengthened our troops.  They don't realize it yet, but they woke a sleeping bear, or to quote Analiese, "They kicked the hornets nest."

Defend your constituents
Our government is choosing to put the interests of the monstrous biotech industry in front of the rights of the American people.  The reason given for removing Sec. 2 from the bill - it would violate the constitution and put CT at risk for being sued.   The biotech industry claims they have a constitutional commercial right to stay silent and not label foods as genetically engineered and our government is buying into this propoganda (i.e BS) and allowing the industry to trump our right to know.  Top attorneys from around the  United States who specialize in this area of the law made it very clear that states can mandate the labeling of products produced with the process of genetic engineering as long as the labeling law is reasonably related to legitimate state interests, such as health, economic considerations, protecting the environment, and giving the CT consumer the right to know what is in their food.

The citizens of fifty other countries are afforded the right to know what is in their food, yet here in America, we need to play detective to figure out what foods contain GMOs.  I simply want the right to know what is in our food so I can make the choice to feed GMOs to my family or not.  Without clear labeling, this choice is not ours to make.  I am disillusioned right now, and am uncertain whether we will ever get labeling laws passed in this country.  If CT couldn't make it happen with 90% of consumers calling for GMO labeling, a majority of the legislature poised to vote in favor of the bill, and an advocacy campaign that raised the level of GMO awareness to levels never seen before in this state, then I'm not sure where or when it will happen.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for CA in the fall.  But, in the meantime we need a plan.


I am calling on all of you to make the decision today that you will no longer support the industry behind GMOs.  The BEST way to do that is to STOP buying GMOs.  If not for the cause, at least stop eating GMOs because you care about your health and the health of your family.  Go to www.nongmoshoppingguide.com and familiarize yourself with how to avoid GMOs.  Watch out for corn, canola, soy, sugar beets, and cotton seed.  Some quick tips on avoiding GMOs include: (1) Avoid processed foods (2) Buy organic, (3) Look for the Non GMO project verified label (4) Avoid vegetable, corn and soy oil (5) Keep a list of all the aliases that GMOs hide under with you when you shop.  We have the power to make a difference with our own actions and by redirecting where we spend our money.  Join Jeffrey Smith's tipping point at http://action.responsibletechnology.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=2925.  It only took Europe three months to reach their tipping point from the time the public became aware of the dangers associated with GMOs, it's taking us too long.  The European people were able to kick GMOs out of their food supply and now manufacturers such as Kraft, Nestle, and McDonalds use GMOs in America but NOT in Europe.

Our dedicated legislators: Representatives Susan Johnson, Kim Fawcett, Richard Roy,
Jonathan Steinberg, Fred Camillo, Brenda Kupchick, Tony Hwang, and William Wadsworth
They did not want to give us the right to know so we need to give ourselves that right.  I know it's not easy to avoid GMO's, but dealing with disease, environmental problems and economic downfall are much more difficult.  Right to Know CT will continue our work to pass labeling legislation next year along with our dedicated legislators who are feeling equally as frustrated, but in the meantime, let's work toward total consumer rejection of GMOs.  To listen to June Stoyer's radio show today with myself, Analiese Paik, and Jeffrey Smith go to http://www.theorganicview.com/environment/connecticut-caves-to-biotech-ignores-consumers-right-to-know-about-gmos/.  Thank you all for your ongoing support.  Stay tuned.                 

19 comments:

  1. Great job, Tara! More people need to know about what happened in Connecticut. It is a shame that you have been working so hard and got so close but then your own governor bailed at the last minute. Please keep going and do not stop! The world is watching both of you! You will make this happen!

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  2. I am not suprised. We do not live in a democracy. If we did our voice would matter. 90% support fom the people would sound like a no brainer but for those that do not make desicions based on what the people want but what the corporations demand 90% support is meaningless. They,our elected leaders that we put there, love to grab the lime light and make it seem they are really standing up for the people but when push comes to shove they buckle. All is good. One day the people will wake-up and ... when the sh*t will hits the fan it will be out of their hands and "We the People" will dictate vs bending over and taking it from Mr. Corporation!

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  3. I am soo sorry for this loss...fo all of us...but YOU re right it will make us stronger!!
    We will not give up!!

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  4. I'm thinking that on this one the citizens are going to have to start by-passing the Legislatures and start going directly to petitioning for ballot referendums such as they are doing in California.

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    1. We need to all pray for CA that the ballot initiative gains enough support in November. Unfortunately, in CT we do not have the right to get something on our ballot as they do in CA. GO California! The world is rooting for them.

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  5. People can vote with their shopping dollar. I've quit buying GMO's to the best of my ability by not purchasing junk food, beet sugar, anything with canola oil .. non organic soy and a host of other crap. My local farmer has to grow their own feed so their meat is not contaminated too. Let's shove this GMO junk down the throats of the agri-monsters.

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    1. You are exactly right! We need to take control ourselves and assert the power of the American consumer! Europe did it and so can we. Because our mainstream media is not reporting about GMOs, it may just take us awhile. Thank you for doing your part, if all Americans were as enlightened as you, we would be able to kick GMOs out ourselves, that is why we need to keep educating about GMOs.

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  6. Thank-you for your hard work. We will get there. A very similar thing just happened in Hawaii too. The producers of GMO's are showing their hands and we now can make a strategy to overcome this. I'm curious, if Monsanto could sue the state why can't you?

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    1. I'm sorry Hawaii had a similar experience. Many states share the pain of not being able to get GMO labeling through. We all need to stand together and work together to get these labeling laws passed. The reason Monsanto can sue so easily is because they have unlimited funds, the people of the state, do not have unlimited funds. It's a very sad truth. If anyone in Hawaii wants to get in touch with us, please do. The Institute for Responsible Technology is trying to connect people in all the states so we can work together.

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  7. Aloha from Vermont,
    I feel your pain, in VT we packed the statehouse, and yet no GMO bill. However, Democracy is not dead. We need to stand up together and if our legislators will not do the will of the people, then we will do it ourselves. Folks need to stand up and run as NO GMO! candidates, and not let people in November forget that the old legislature didn't protect your right to know what you are eating. Keep the faith, and keep up the pressure, and together we will make change, and restore government to the people, not the corporations. As long as we keep voting for corporate 2party cove/pepsi candidates, we'll never achieve any meaningful change.

    ~Ben Eastwood, Montpelier VT

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    1. Ben,
      I watched VT Vermont closely and was rooting for you. I LOVE VT and thought if any state could do it, it would be you guys. Very devastating what happened there as well. Those of us in CT would love to connect with the leaders in VT to work on this together and share what worked and what did not work in each state. We already have our eye on the next session, but I am very concerned all our efforts would be for nothing again. We will not give up though! I also fear that even the non coke/pepsi candidates end up being corrupted by the system once they are in.

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  8. Thank you Tara and Analiese for your tireless, fearless and passionate leadership in this cause. You deserve to know we are all indebted, more informed and stronger because of you.
    Thank you!

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    1. Thank you John! I am doing this work out of passion and concern for my children's welfare. Once I had the knowledge, I felt I had no choice but to do this work, so no thanks are even necessary. If this is the John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems, I owe a debt of gratitude to YOU for all the incredible work you do! I will be chairing the Fuel For Learning Partnership in the Fairfield School system next year, the organization to educate our community and bring better quality foods into the schools. It is my dream to hire you to help our food services dept make better choices. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this could become a reality one day soon.

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  9. ... only one question left.... WHAT ARE WE PREPARED TO DO? What are we prepared to do when it is clear we are not protected by our "protectors" {i.e. this no label GMO stuff, no govt. backing of EPA anywhere for anything, citizens united, defining corporations as "people"}. What do you do when it is clear we {Vermont, California, Connecticut and about every other state} followed democratic protocall by voicing our wishes clearly to those "protectors" of ours, those wishes are supposed to be met, and by hook AND by crook they are not honored, simply for the benefit and gain of the few who pull the strings? What CAN we do? What is left to do?

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    1. Great questions. All questions that keep me up at night now. This is why I am calling on the American people to stop buying GMOs and vote with their wallets. We need to exert our power as the consumer and make our government irrelevant in this case. We need to use our voices in general and become louder than the corporate monsters destroying our nation. America needs to wake up and realize what is happening around them. Thank you for your comment.

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  10. Thank you Tara and Analiese for all your hard work. I spread the word to friends and family and know a lot of people contacted their reps and the governor. I am disgusted by the outcome but not surprised. Money talks at the state level as well as the federal level. I just called the the governor's office to express my disappointment and was told the governor was not involved and cannot change legislation - that the removal of section 2 occurred in the environmental committee. When I asked what the governors position was, I was told he hasn't made any official statements. I then asked if he was aware of the popular support for this bill - that 90+% of residents were in favor and felt strongly about it. The woman replied that unfortunately peoples' feelings don't get legislation passed, and the governor was not the one who altered the bill (she repeated this statement multiple times). I hope the governor's involvement comes to light.

    My family and I have stopped buying GMOs years ago and I even make a point of letting supermarket store managers know it too. Educating others and voting with our dollars may be the only way to make a change.

    Your efforts are greatly appreciated... and were NOT wasted. You have raised awareness and that is step one. Bless you.

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    1. Thank you for this, Jeffrey Smith believes if only 5% of Americans did exactly what you are doing, we would reach a tipping point and the American consumer would kick GMOs out of our food supply. Believe me we know that raising awareness is paramount and I will not stop speaking about GMOs to everyone, anywhere I possibly can.

      We have invited the Governor multiple times to make a statement and set the record straight, they refuse to make an official statement so far which in my mind only increases our belief that the Governor and his people were involved in this decision. Yesterday Dick Roy, the original sponsor of the bill made a statement that I would like to share with you, "In or efforts to bring this issue to the floor of the house I personally contacted lawyers in the LCO, the house speakers office, the majority leaders office, and the Governors office. Although I did not talk directly to the Governor once of his staff came to me and said they could not support the proposed legislation. They were concerned with the possibility of the industry filing a lawsuit that they felt that the industry would win, the industry of course is Monsanto."

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  11. They claim they have a constitutional commercial right to stay silent and not label foods as genetically engineered??? I just can't comprehend a statement like that. It's so sad. What about our rights?

    I was so sad to hear the news about the GMO labeling bill. More people need to be made aware. In my job I come in contact with dozens of people a day and very few even know what GMO's are. We must continue to spread the word and educate people.
    After reading all these great comments, it makes me want to get the word out there even more.

    Thank you Tara for this great blog and all the incredible work you've done!

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