[Scpg] Fwd: Action Alert - Tell The FDA to Stop GE Food Contamination

[Chrys Ostrander]

>From: Twittman at aol.com
>Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 00:23:59 EST
>Subject: Action Alert  - Tell The FDA to Stop GE Food Contamination
>To: undisclosed-recipients:;
>X-Mailer: 9.0 SE for Windows sub 5000
>X-Rcpt-To: <chrys at thefutureisorganic.net>
>
>ACTION ALERT
>
>Stop the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from approving contamination 
>of the food supply with untested genetically engineered (GE) 
>crops.  Please send in your comments today!
>
>Background (see below for sample message to FDA):
>
>On November 19, 2004, the FDA announced new draft guidelines to deal with 
>the growing problem of GE plants contaminating food crops.
>
>The guidelines would allow contamination of the American food supply with 
>experimental material that escapes from GE crop test plots.  Over 40,000 
>of these test plots have been authorized by the government on over 500,000 
>acres since 1987.  The proposed policy sets out loose 'safety assessment' 
>guidelines under which companies may voluntarily consult with the FDA to 
>have their experimental biotech traits deemed "acceptable" as contaminants 
>in food.
>
>The proposed 'safety assessment' is based on paperwork and two inadequate 
>tests that FDA estimates will take companies just 20 hours to 
>complete.  The review would NOT involve safety tests in animals, and it 
>excludes testing for unintended effects caused by genetic engineering.  It 
>also sets NO LIMITS on the amount of contamination allowed in 
>foods.  While presented as a food safety measure, both FDA Commissioner 
>Lester Crawford and Michael Phillips, vice president of the Biotechnology 
>Industry Organization, have acknowledged that these new rules would 
>provide legal cover to companies whose novel crops contaminate the food supply.
>
>Many of the genes spliced into these experimental GE crops are hidden from 
>the public as trade secrets.  Experiments we know of include crops 
>engineered to survive dousing with chemical herbicides or produce their 
>own insecticides.  Others have sterile pollen or seeds, radically altered 
>nutritional content for use as animal feed, or anti-fungal compounds that 
>resemble food allergens.
>
>Tell the FDA that it needs to devise rules to STOP contamination of the 
>food supply with engineered traits, not find new ways to make it okay for 
>companies to do so!
>
>PLEASE SEND IN COMMENTS TODAY!  See below for a sample message.  Comments 
>are due by January 24, 2005.
>
>For more information, see:
>Press release: http://www.foe.org/new/releases/1104fda.html
>Briefing paper: http://www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/contamination.pdf.
>
>Send e-mail to: fdadockets at oc.fda.gov
>Include "Docket No. 2004D-0369" in the subject line
>
>Send written comments to: FDA Commissioner, Division of Dockets Management 
>(HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, 
>Rockville, MD 20852.
>
>Sample Message
>
>RE:  Docket No.  2004D-0369
>
>Dear Commissioner Crawford,
>
>I am writing to express my disappointment at the FDA's draft "Guidance for 
>Industry: Recommendations for the Early Food Safety Evaluation of New 
>Non-Pesticidal Proteins Produced by New Plant Varieties Intended for Food 
>Use."
>
>I am deeply concerned that these new guidelines are a step backward in 
>strengthening public confidence in the regulation of genetically 
>engineered foods.
>These new guidelines for genetically engineered crops still in testing 
>would allow them to contaminate the nation's food supply with genetic 
>material.
>
>Companies are encouraged to voluntarily seek safety review of genetically 
>engineered traits that could escape field test plots and enter the food 
>supply. Such review could have the effect of exempting such contaminants 
>from being declared food adulterants under existing Federal food safety 
>laws. The developers of biotech crops still in the testing phase now have 
>no incentive to contain genetic pollution from whatever compounds they are 
>engineering into crop plants.
>
>These guidelines also allow companies to voluntarily perform an abridged 
>safety assessment of genetic material from biotech crops. This 
>confidential, limited review would grant biotech crop manufacturers the 
>legal cover to allow these engineered test crops to enter the American 
>food supply prior to full government pre-market oversight and safety 
>review. The proposed review involves no safety tests in animals, a 
>standard method to test for toxicity. It also excludes testing for 
>unintended effects caused by genetic engineering, and sets no limits for 
>the amount of contamination of food allowed.
>
>I urge you to reject this misconceived policy.  The FDA should be devising 
>rules and procedures to STOP contamination of the food supply with 
>experimental transgenic proteins, not give rubber stamp approval to such 
>contamination when it occurs.
>
>Finally, I urge the FDA to replace its current non-rigorous "voluntary 
>consultation" process with a mandatory, science-based review process 
>designed to ensure food safety.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
>PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO INTERESTED FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
>
>*********************************************************************************************************
>This GMO news service is underwritten by a generous grant from the 
>Newman's Own Foundation and is a production of the Ecological Farming 
>Association <http://www.eco-farm.org/>www.eco-farm.org
>*********************************************************************************************************

Chrys Ostrander
1720 Alamo Pintado
Solvang, CA 93463
805-686-4099
chrys at thefutureisorganic.net
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net

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