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While those who shake hands might wish they knew who did and did not wash first, consumers of American grown foods could be running a much greater health risk by not knowing what genetically engineered (GE) products are in their shopping carts. Getting GE foods labeled to inform consumers is the thrust of Seattle-based political activist Craig Winters’ newest campaign. As the founding president of Citizens for Health, Winters won a landmark decision that President Clinton signed in 1994 to make sure the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not restrict access to dietary supplements. This time around, Winters is once again putting the FDA to task with his organization called The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods. The practice of genetically altering food is so new that scientists have not had enough time to adequately test it for safe human consumption. Meanwhile, as the FDA has allowed so many GE crops to flood the market, more than two-thirds of what’s on our dinner tables has already been toyed with genetically. "About seventy percent of all foods in the grocery stores contain some form of genetically engineered ingredients because so many products use either corn or soybeans as a base," Winters said. "Genetic engineering began with the corn and soy crops. Hamburger Helper and food products with sweeteners often have soy or corn in them." To stop the FDA from plunging headlong into a pool of potential embarrassment, should the effects of GE foods prove most dire — and while the entire American populace is unwittingly being used like guinea pigs — Winters does much more than merely push for new legislation. He also speaks at meetings locally and around the country, participates in radio interviews and writes newsletters that he disseminates to the thousands of people who subscribe to his email distribution list. When asked why he doesn’t push for a complete ban on GE foods altogether instead of just lobbying for product labeling, Winters said: "We’re in favor of a ban on genetically engineered foods, but looking at the political realities, it would be virtually impossible to get a bill through Congress to do that." Winters used the tobacco industry as an example of the difficulty of getting anything banned by Congress. Reportedly, when anti-tobacco activists first called for a ban, such a large scientific debate ensued that it was many years and massive amounts of dollars later before lobbyists were able to get any kind of bill past the legislature. "If we go in there and try to ban genetically engineered foods, Congress is going to do nothing," Winters said. "However, if we get labeling passed and companies are required to label GE products, most customers will avoid the food, as we saw happen in Europe, where they already label GE foods. By pushing for labeling, we will already have begun to achieve our primary goal of eliminating such products from our food sources because manufacturers won’t want to put such unpopular items on their labels." Winters further explained that our nation’s founders were wise to set up the checks and balances of the executive, the judicial, and the legislative branches of government. He feels that the FDA portion of the executive branch of government is not looking out for the well-being of the public when it comes to GE foods. Winters says that the best way to get results is to turn to the legislative branch and pass a law through the United States Congress to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. At the same time, Winters is so devoted to making sure that consumer rights are heard that he maintains a strong connection with scientists who get into the technical aspects of the GE problem. They give Winters’ concerns about GE foods even more credibility with lawmakers. However, the Winters’ campaign is not without its opponents. "The biotech and grocery industries are opposed to our efforts to label genetically engineered foods, and even many leading natural food companies have been reluctant to support our efforts. Part of the problem is that large corporations have bought natural food companies. For example, General Mills owns Cascadian Farms, Phillip Morris owns Boca Burgers, Kraft owns Kashi. So these companies are not supporting us," Winters said. "The dietary supplement companies are also avoiding the issue because they realize that the raw materials to make products such as vitamin C are possibly derived from GE crops that are not currently segregated and they don’t know what it would do to the supply and expense of the products they use," Winters explains. "One week they may make vitamin C from potatoes and one week they’ll make it from corn. The only type of corn that’s currently being segregated is organic corn." According to Winters, some of the food manufacturers who have been supportive of GE labeling include Eden Foods, Nature’s Path, Amy’s Kitchen, Emerald Valley Kitchen, NOW Foods, and Carlson Laboratories. Fortunately, Winters said he does have supporters in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. "Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) will soon be introducing labeling legislation into both chambers of the current 108th Congress. We had nearly fifty co-sponsors of the legislation in the 107th Congress that ended last year." Even though the Bush administration opposes labeling of genetically engineered foods, Winters says he doesn’t think President Bush would veto the legislation if it passes in Congress. Winters is also excited that Representative Kucinich has decided to run for President: "I think with Representative Dennis Kucinich running that genetically engineered foods will become a topic of discussion in the presidential debates." Even after the labeling bill finally gets passed, Winters said labeling won’t be fully implemented for another two to three years since companies are usually given ample time to adjust their manufacturing habits to meet the bill’s requirements. However, he says the impact will be much quicker. "As soon as we pass the bill for labeling and companies know they will need to label genetically engineered ingredients, they will rapidly begin to remove genetically engineered ingredients from their product lines. For marketing reasons they will want to get on the side that will be the most popular with consumers," Winters said. Although he has always been interested and active in politics, Winters’ experience with promoting federal legislation began in late 1991 when he and a small group of folks in the Seattle area started Citizens For Health. He left his position as President of Citizens for Health in 1996; however, he encouraged the board of directors to get involved in the issue of genetically engineered foods. When the new management of Citizens For Health continued to say they were too busy to actively lead the effort to label genetically engineered foods, Winters picked up the campaign torch for labeling GE foods. Winters states, "What really made me realize we needed to do something right away to fight genetically engineered foods was when I learned that organic crops were becoming contaminated with genetically engineered organisms. Everybody who supports organic agriculture needs to get active in this battle." Today Craig Winters works with two other staff, Cameron Woodworth and Jessica Adams, along with a board of directors composed of Dr. Alexander Schauss and Marlene Beadle of Marlene’s Market & Deli in Federal Way and Tacoma. The Campaign’s popular web site can be found at: <www.thecampaign.org>. |