On the recordJuly 23, 2015
I will now enter into the Record two articles, ``Mandatory GMO Labeling'' and ``NFU Union Reiterates Support for Mandatory GMO Labeling.'' [From the Huffington Post, July 23, 2015] Mandatory GMO Labeling--It's Your Right To Know (By Gary Hirshberg) The crossfire on whether or not to require mandatory labeling of GMOs has become so heated and partisan that it's hard to discern the facts from rhetoric. The latest volley was last week's Slate essay that challenged labeling proponents' lack of substantive proof that GMOs are unsafe or unhealthy. Author William Saletan raises many valid points, but equally fails to address the hyperbole and enormous gaps between the promise and actual performance of agricultural biotechnology. But beyond this imbalance, he entirely misses the fact that there is a long history of government-enacted labeling disclosures that have nothing to do with safety concerns. There are no unique risks associated with orange juice ``from concentrate'' compared to fresh juice, or from ``wild caught'' vs. farmed fish, but both require labeling so that consumers can choose. Most content on food labels is government mandated, marketing oriented, or intended to inform consumers about information that people just want to know. And that is the fact that trumps all the others.…
