Marching Against Monsanto

Over Memorial Day Weekend, the NYC Group joined in an organized effort to educate the public about potential dangers caused by Monsanto, the corporate seed giant and herbicide manufacturer.

 

The effort was initiated by a blog created by Tami Canal Monroe, a Utah mother, and resulted in marches in 52 countries and 436 cities with a guesstimate of 2 million participating.

 

The New York City march included about 500 people—the majority of them young—concerned about how the way that the genetically modified food created by Monsanto can affect our health, environment, and communities.

 

After many years of limited, or ineffective, public outcry, legislators are beginning to act, with grassroot support. Connecticut is the first state to pass a law requiring products that contain GMOs to be labeled;  similar initiatives (though unsuccessful thus far) have been pursued right here in New York, as well as California and Vermont.

 

In New York, bills have been introduced in both the Assembly (A.3525 introduced by Rosenthal and Peoples-Stokes et. al.) and the Senate (S.3835 introduced by Krueger and LaValle). Efforts in New York are especially important because the Connecticut law is contingent upon four other states passing similar laws, including one of Connecticut’s bordering states. The passage of the law in New York would help ensure the law’s implementation in Connecticut.

 

The Atlantic Chapter Farm and Food Committee approves these bills.

 

We need to continue the work begun by the March Against Monsanto and maintain our momentum. If we don’t want our food production to be taken over by huge corporations that are not concerned with safety, we need to educate the public and to make our legislators know that we are aware and that we care.

 

To indicate your support for a GMO labeling law in New York, sign our online petition! You can print the pdf to collect support from others in your community. For information or to get involved, contact Erin Riddle at riddleriddle@gmail.com or 607-372-5503.