Field Notes from the Campaign to Label GE Foods: Pennsylvania
By Sam Bernhardt
FWW’s Sam Bernhardt and members of GMO Free PA coalition at the PASA conference on Feb. 8, 2013.
People across Pennsylvania are fired up about holding big agribusiness accountable and giving consumers access to basic information about the food they are buying and eating through the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food.
Pennsylvanians care about our farmers and labeling GE food means fighting back against the growing control of corporations like Monsanto, giving power back to farmers around the state. Agriculture is our state’s largest economy, with $5.7 billion in sales each year. And the strength of this industry isn’t just from a few behemoths: our state has over 63,000 farms, growing a wide range of produce. My personal favorite is Kennet Square, the mushroom capital of the world and home to the annual Mushroom Festival.
On March 12, Food & Water Watch, GMO-Free PA, PASA and many of the farmers and consumers we spoke to at this past weekend’s conference will converge on Harrisburg to support the introduction of a bill to label GE foods by Senator Daylin Leach. We’re anticipating a great turn out, but we’re going to need as many coalition partners and concerned citizens as possible to join us in lobby our legislators to cosponsor the legislation. “Like” us on Facebook for more information and to get involved: http://www.facebook.com/FWW.PA