California Consumers Feeling Like Santorum (or Romney?) After Iowa
Like Rick Santorum who was shot down by a close vote in Iowa (no wait, apparently it was Romney who lost), yesterday a bill to require labels on GMO fish was narrowly defeated in a California Assembly committee vote.
An op-ed yesterday in the San Francisco Chronicle by Consumers Union (CU), the nation’s leading consumer advocacy organization (and publisher of Consumer Reports magazine), noted the overwhelming public support for labels on GMO fish. Their poll found 95% of Americans want labels on food from GMO animals – even more support than Wisconsin residents voiced for Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers (not to mention Jesus or Abraham Lincoln). CU also points out that GMO fish could trigger potentially deadly allergies and pose threats to wild salmon, but apparently some California legislators are willing to take that chance.
On the positive side, one “yes” vote yesterday in support of labeling came from the Chair of the state Assembly’s Select Committee on Biotechnology, a rabidly pro-GMO body. Legislators received thousands of calls and letters from constituents calling for support of GMO labeling, building an educational foundation for next time around.
Meanwhile, bills to require labels on GMO food have just been introduced in the Senate and House in the state of Washington, and Californians are collecting signatures for a ballot measure to require GMO food labels. Yesterday may have been a loss for consumers’ right to know, but as Rick Santorum might have said to Romney, I’ll be back on your ass tomorrow.