On Tuesday, residents of Washington State will vote on I 522- an initiative which would make Washington the first state to require the mandatory labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms - GMOs.* Over 340,000 in the state signed a petition to get I 522 on the ballot.
Over 90% of Americans want GM food to be labeled. Naturally, they want to know what they are eating and feeding their families.
In Washington, 66% were in favor of labeling, until Monsanto and friends launched a $22 million campaign to frighten, confuse and misinform the public. Sadly, their endless, negative advertising is narrowing the gap between those for and against labeling. We still have a narrow lead, but time is short! Please share our five reasons GMOs Must Be Labeled - Yes on 522!
1. Three Billion Have the Right to Know if They Are Eating GMOs, But We Do Not
The rest of the industrialized world has demanded and won the right to know what they are eating and feeding their families, but in the US, we are kept in the dark, not only about what is in our food, but also about the consequences of eating GMOs.
2. Outside Big Corporations are Funding No on 522
Only four individuals, giving a total of $500, have given to No on 522. The rest of No on 522 donors are corporations, like Monsanto (that has contributed close to $10 million to deny you your right to know in CA and WA). The No side's average donation is 20,000 times larger than the average donation for labeling. Over $2.6 million given to Yes on 522 came from Washington State. Only $500 of over $22 million raised by No on 522 came from the state! Over 13,000 people; farmers, doctors, teachers, business owners, moms
and dads and regular folks like you and me have contributed to Yes on
522.
3. All the Claims Made by No on 522 Have Proven False
They say it will raise grocery prices, but labeling laws have been instituted in 64 countries with no price raises. They say labeling will contain misinformation and confuse customers. The biotech/chemical companies and big food manufacturers whose products are filled with GMOs are the ones misinforming and confusing the public. They say it will hurt farmers. That has also been proven false. For a complete debunking of the myths and misconceptions of I 522 click here.

4. You Have a Right to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Products that Can Cause Harm.

5. Processed Foods Have Hidden GMOs

The big food companies like Coke, Pepsi, Nestle, Hershey's and more that donated to No on 522 tried to use a money laundering scheme with the Grocery Manufacturers Association to hide their donations (and No on 522 just broke the law again). Supporters of No on 522 know they do not have a popular, or rational argument. You know you have lost when even Fox News runs a segment talking about the dangers of GMOs and the need to label them!
Monsanto cannot have it both ways- they can't say their products are substantially
different from conventional crops and therefore require patents, but when it comes to labeling, say they are the same and that we have no choice whether we eat them or not. It is un-American for big corporations to force their products on us without our knowledge. We demand transparency and true freedom of choice. Tell Monsanto, "If you think your products are so great, then label them and let us decide."
LABEL GMOs. VOTE YES ON 522!
*Connecticut and Maine have passed labeling laws, but need other states to also do so, before going into effect. Hudson Valley for No GMOs will be working to pass a GM labeling law in NY in 2014. GMOFreeNY.net is spearheading the effort. There are similar bills in about 30 other states. GM labeling is inevitable! Let's start with a win Tuesday in Washington.
You can help. Make some calls today!
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