Thu, 6 Mar 1997 18:18:00 -0700 To: VEGLIFE@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU X-UIDL:
857701388.001 From: pmligotti@earthlink.net (Peter M. Ligotti)
Press Release -- Keeping Genetically Engineered Seeds and Foods Out of
the Organic Market
The attached press release and press invitation has been sent to 200 press
agencies.
URGENT: please note that the time and place of the press conference have
been changed to Friday, March 7, 11:00 am, Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Los
Angeles Room (lower level) Los Angeles, USA
This was changed due to feedback from the press requesting more notice.
Please forward this press release and invitation to the your press contacts.
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Organic Industry Leaders Warn Biotech Industry: KEEP OUT!
-- Newly-Formed National Coalition Cites Deep Concerns In Letter to U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman (MARCH 5)
- A newly-formed national coalition of organic food industry producers,
scientists, and consumer activist groups this week will send a strong message
to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and the biotech industry:
"Keep genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) out of the organic market."
The coalition launches a high profile campaign to ban all GEOs from the
organic market at a time when the biotech industry is splicing human genes
into pigs, fish genes into tomatoes, and insect, viral, and bacterial DNA
into foods on grocery stores shelves. The campaign will be launched simultaneously
this week on both coasts in the U.S. and includes:
1. A letter signed by 28 top organizations within the organic foods industry
to Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, urging the Secretary to uphold
the National Organic Standard Board's (NOSB) September 1996 resolution
to categorically ban all genetically engineered organisms from the organic
market.
2. A national news conference on Friday, March 7, 11:00 a.m. at the Anaheim
Marriott, Los Angeles Room, during the Natural Foods Expo in Anaheim, California.
(The Expo will be attended by an estimated 25,000 manufacturers and retailers.)
3. A nationwide drive to collect one million signatures from consumers
who are opposed to GEOs in the organic market, to be presented during the
International Codex Committee on Food Labeling in Ottawa, Canada, April
14-18. (This Codex committee determines the status of international food
labeling laws, including whether genetically engineered foods must be labeled.)
"Contrary to biotech advertising and the official USDA position, genetic
engineering is not harmless. It is a radical new technology that poses
serious risks to our health and environment," said John Fagan, Ph.D.,
a Cornell-trained molecular biologist who gained international recognition
when he returned $1.5 million in NIH grants because his research could
have been used for harmful genetic engineering applications. Dr. Fagan
is a leader of the new coalition. "Many scientists believe that the
genetic manipulation of the food supply could set off a chain reaction
throughout the entire ecosystem, upsetting the delicate balance in nature
for generations to come. Unlike chemical or nuclear contamination, genetic
pollution cannot be cleaned up or contained. The effects of genetic mistakes
are irretrievable and irreversible," Fagan said.
Current FDA policy does not require any long-term safety testing on genetically
engineered foods. "There have been no human feeding studies done on
genetically engineered foods. And the FDA, by its own admission, doesn't
have a complete record of information on these foods," said Laura
Ticciati, executive director of the American Campaign to Ban Genetically
Engineered Foods. "Despite incidents of illness, allergic reactions,
and death, and increasing warnings from scientists and physicians, these
foods are sitting on our grocery store shelves unlabeled. Right now the
only non-genetically engineered food source available to the consumer is
the organic market. But the integrity of the organic market is in jeopardy,"
Ticciati said.
The following organic industry leaders signed the letter to U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Dan Glickman, calling for a ban on genetically engineered food
in the organic market. John Hagelin, Director Institute of Science, Technology
and Public Policy John Ardrey, Michael Potter Eden Foods Inc. James A.
Riddle, Organic Inspector Independent Organic Inspectors Association Fred
and Annie Kirschenmann Farm Verified Organic Professor Phil Bereano Washington
State Biotechnology Action Council Doreen Stabinsky, Ph.D. Council for
Responsible Genetics Richard W. Stewart Chief Executive Officer Frontier
Cooperative Herbs Kingsley Brooks, Chairman Natural Law Party Theresa Carbrey,
Education Director, New Pioneer Co-op Neil Carman, Ph.D. Clean Air Program
Director Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club Ronnie Cummins Pure Food Campaign
Eileen Danneman National Coalition of Organized Women Thomas B. Harding,
Jr. President Organic Crop Improvement Association International Joan Dye
Gussow Emeritus Professor Teachers College, Columbia University Just Food,
NYC Jeffrey Hollender Seventh Generation Judith Kew, Renu Namjoshi, Lynn
Powell, Mary Pritchard Texas Consumers for Safe Food Jerry DeWitt, Coordinator
State Sustainable Agriculture Iowa State University Steve Druker Alliance
for Biotechnology John Kinsman, President Faily Farm Defenders Rodney Leonard
Community Nutrition Institute Hildy Nelson Animal Alliance John Fagan,
Ph.D. Professor of Molecular Biology, Maharishi University of Managment
Laura Ticciati Executive Director Mothers for Natural Law David Vetter
OCIA Grain Place Foods, Inc. Craig Winters Chairman of the Board Citizens
for Health Charles Walters N.O.R.M. Margaret Wittenburg, Pamela Boyar Whole
Foods Market Susan Futrell Director of Marketing and Sales Blooming Prairie
Coop Judy DeRuvo Mintaka Mountain Farms, Austin, TX
CONTACT: BOB ROTH, 515-472-2477, 515-469-9372
Press Invitation
Organic Industry Leaders Unite Against Genetically Engineered Foods during
Natural Foods Expo -
NEWS CONFERENCE in ANAHEIM - Friday, March 7 * 11:00 AM Anaheim
Marriott Hotel, Los Angeles Room (Lower Level)
The cloning of a sheep and a monkey has generated considerable debate in
the press and public. However, a less graphic, but far more controversial
and potentially dangerous development is taking place: the wholesale manipulation
of the world's food supply by a handful of biotech industries. Only one
market remains free of genetically engineered organisms-organic foods.
But now that market is in jeopardy. For the first time, a national coalition
of organic food industry leaders, scientists, and consumer groups have
united together to preserve the safety and purity of the organic market.
Representatives of the coalition are holding this news conference during
the Natural Foods Expo to explain what they are doing and why.
Panelists
Michael Potter President and CEO, Eden Foods National organic foods manufacturer
Jeffrey Hollender President and CEO, Seventh Generation Nation's leading
manufacturer of green consumer products Annie Kirschemann Board of Directors,
Farm Verified Organic Nationwide private organic certifiers Susan Haeger
Executive Director, Citizens for Health National grassroots citizens health
activist group Laura Ticciati Executive Director, American Campaign to
Ban Genetically Engineered Foods Non-profit educational organization leading
a public awareness campaign on dangers of genetically engineered foods
John Fagan, Ph.D. Cornell-trained molecular biologist who gained international
recognition when he returned $1.5 million in NIH grants because his research
could have been used for harmful genetic engineering applications. Dr.
Fagan is the chairman of the Department of Molecular Biology at Maharishi
University of Management
CONTACT: BOB ROTH, 515-472-2477, 515-469-9372