>> >>PEGGY: THE NEW BILL IS SPONSORED BY SENATOR BARBARA BOXER REQUIRES FOODS THAT CONTAIN
GMOS BE LABELED.
THE D SPITE A RECENT POLL THAT FOUND 91% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT GMO LABELING, PROPOSITION
37 FAILED TO PASS IN CALIFORNIA LAST E YEAR.
HERE ARE MY GUESTS, STEVEN BRIGS AND DAVID BRONNER, OF DR.�BRONNER'S MAGIC SOAP.
WELCOME.
STEVE, 64 OTHER COUNTRIES REQUIRE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS TO BE LABELED.
YOU BELIEVE SCIENTIFICALLY THERE'S NO REASON FOR CONCERN.
>> >>: THE SAFETY OF THESE PRODUCTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ARE WELLPROVEN AND AFTER DECADES OF USE BILLIONS
OF PEOPLE THERE'S NOT EVE AN SINGLE INCIDENCE OF ILLNESS CAUSED BY ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS.
>> >>PEGGY: WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS?
WHY DO THESE OTHER COUNTRIES WANT TO LABEL THIS AND PUT THIS KNOWLEDGE THERE?
>> >>: IT'S TRYING TO KEEP AMERICAN PRODUCTS OUT OF THEIR DOMESTIC, AGRICULTURAL MARKET
PLACE.
>> >>PEGGY: DAVID, YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE CORE ISH OW OF THIS LABELING DEBATE?
>> >>: I THINK AMERICANS WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR FEED.
IT'S ABOUT MORE INFORMATION, MORE TRANSPARENCY, FOOD LABELS ARE NOT SIMPLY ABOUT HEALTH AND
SAFETY, THEY'RE ABOUT IMPORT AND PRODUCTION RELATED INFORMATION.
WHAT COUNTRY DID YOUR FOOD COME FROM, IS YOUR FOOD GENETICALLY ENGINEERED OR NOT.
IS THAT A GENETICALLY ENGINEERED APPLE OR NOT AND MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE.
>> >>PEGGY: OKAY, MAYBE EATS RR NOT ABOUT FOOD SAFETY, BUT DO YOU THINK THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL
COMPONENT TO THIS?
>> >>: SURE, PERSONALLY I'M VERY CONCERNED THE SINGLE MOST DOMINANT GENETICALLY ENGINEERED
CROP IS WHEAT KILLER TOLERANCE.
THIS IS SO THAT PESTICIDE MANUFACTURERS CAN HAVE FARMERS BLAST MORE WEED KILLER ON OUR
FOOD CROPS WHICH IS UNSUSTAINABLE, IT'S CREATING HUGE SELECTION PRESSURE ON WEEDS TO DEVELOP
RESISTENCE.
>> >>PEGGY: LET ME GET A RESPONSE FROM STEVE ON THAT.
THESE ARE GENETICALLY MODIFIED SEEDS I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, RIGHT, BUT
THEY'RE WEED RESISTENT.
>> >>: I APPRECIATE THAT DAVID HAS AN IDEOLOGICAL OPPOSITION TO THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT I DON'T
THINK GOVERNMENT SHOULD MANDATE IDEOLOGY ON OUR FOOD LABELS.
THE INTEGRITY SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR SAFETY.
>> >>PEGGY: WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD LABELS, THOUGH, OTHER THINGS ARE LABELED.
ORGANIC FOODS, WHETHER IT HAS ANY ENZYMES IN IT.
>> >>: THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
ORGANIC AND GMO FREE PRIVATE LABELS ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE WHO PREFERS TO USE
IDEOLOGY AS THE BASIS FOR THEIR CHOICES.
SO THIS WOULD NOT SOLVE SOME UNMET NEED, IT WOULD SIMPLY IMPOSE THE COST OF THIS NEW REGULATION
ON ALL CONSUMERS.
THOSE WHO HAVE THIS IDEOLOGY AND THE VAST MAJORITY WHO DON'T.
>> >>PEGGY: A LOT OF PEOPLE DO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE EATING AS YOU WERE SAYING.
BUT OPPONENTS I HAVE TO ASK YOU, DAVID, THEY DO SAY LOOK, IF WE DO THIS, IT'S GOING TO
COST MORE MONEY, DRIVE UP FOOD COSTS BEING PUSHED BY THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY TO MAKE IT
OR A MORE COMPETITIVE MARKET; DO YOU THINK SOME OF THAT IS TRUE?
>> >>: NOT AT ALL.
I THINK A SIMPLE LABEL DISCLOSURE COSTS NOTHING.
THE CHIEF OPPONENT OF THE PROP 37 EFFORT IN CALIFORNIA RAN PROLABELING ADS IN THE UK10
YEARS AGO.
BASICALLY, THERE IS NO COST TO DISCLOSING WHETHER OR NOT A FOOD IS GMO OR IF ORANGE
USE IS FROM CONCENTRATE.
STEVE'S POINT, IT'S NOT LIKE JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN BUY ORANGE JUICE THAT SAYS IT'S NOT
FROM CONCENTRATE, WE SHOULDN'T MANNED� WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
OUR FOOD IT IS CALLED THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD RIGHT TO KNOW ACT.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS, STEVE, DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA� FOR VOLUNTARY LABELING FOR
INSTANCE LIKE KOSHER FOOD IS VOLUNTARILY LABELED.
>> >>: THAT'S THE WAY TO HANDLE IDEOLOGICAL INFORMATION.
IT SHOULD BE VOLUNTEER AND PAID FOR BY THE PEOPLE WHO VALUE THAT INFORMATION.
IT SHOULDN'T BE IMPOSED, FORCED ON EVERYBODY.
ESSENTIALLY THIS IS FORCING THIS HIGHPRICED FOOD DOWN THE THROAT OF ALL AMERICANS.
>> >>PEGGY: WHAT DO YOU THINK, DAVID, ON, WE JUST LABEL THE FOOD THAT WAS NOT GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED, DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE ADEQUATE?
>> >>: NO, DON'T.
THIS IS NOT BEING DRIVEN BY THE ORGANIC INDUSTRY.
I'M ON THE COMMITTEE OF 522, YES ON 522.COM IN WASHINGTON STATE.
THAT'S PRIMARILY COALITION OF SALMON FISHERS, APPLE GROWERS AND WHEAT FARMERS.
NOT ORGANIC, BUT FARMER WHOSE ARE CONCERNED THAT UNLABELED APPLES, UNLABELED GMO WHEAT
WILL RUIN THE IMAGE OF APPLES AND FISH IN THE MINDS OF CONSUMER AND STOP BUYING SALMON.
IF I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A WEIRD� >> >>PEGGY: THEY DON'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE
OF IT.
SO WE CAN GET A WHOLE LOT MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT THIS.
DAVID, AND STEVEN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.