GMO Labeling activist group GMO FREE NY has some very exciting news to share: The NY Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection has decided to hold a hearing on July 30th for GMO Labeling Bill A3525-A! This is the committee through which the bill must first pass in order to move forward in the Assembly. This is a really good sign for the future of the bill — it means our legislators have finally woken up and recognized how important this issue is for many of their constituents.
Bill A3525/S3835 mandates that any foods offered for retail sale in New York State that have been produced with genetic engineering or contain genetically engineered materials must be clearly labeled as such. If not, the person or legal entity in violation will be subject to penalties for false labeling and misbranding. There are a number of pragmatic exemptions in this bill (similar to those found in the bills already passed in other Northeast states). For example, food products produced from animals that have not been genetically engineered but have been fed a diet of genetically engineered feed or that were treated with a genetically engineered vaccine will not get a label; the same holds true for food sold for immediate consumption, such as at a restaurant or food cart. Bill A3525/S3835 deals solely with the labeling of GMO foods and giving consumers the right to know; it does not seek to prohibit their sale or manufacture, nor does it seek to ban the cultivation of GMO crops or animals.
Your show of support will help secure the Labeling of GMO foods in NY State
The hearing will be held on Tuesday, July 30th, on the Lehman College campus in the Bronx. GMO Free NY has been invited to give testimony at the hearing along with other pro-labeling organizations and representatives from the opposition. We welcome this opportunity to let the committee members know why New Yorkers deserve the right to know what's in their food. The Daily News has already written an article about the hearing.
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Time: 10:00 am - ??
Location: East Dining Room, Lehman College, 250 Bedford Park Blvd West, Bronx, NY 10468
For more info:assembly.state.ny.us/comm/Consumer/20130716
It is incredibly important that we fill the seats of this room with GMO labeling advocates from New York. Can you help us make this hearing a standing room only event and garner it the attention our bill deserves by spreading this news? We know this is a tough sell — a weekday in the Bronx in the middle of summer. But we can't let this get in the way — we HAVE to be there in full force! More information about the event can be found on the GMO Free NY Facebook: on.fb.me/13wjwSK. There is also an event listing you can use to invite all of your own Facebook friends.
Please copy and share this information with as many social media outlets, email lists, friends, colleagues, and organizations you know. Our turnout MUST be impressive so that when the bill's sponsor — Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal — reintroduces the bill at the start of the next legislative session in January 2014 it will immediately be voted upon and moved through the Assembly to a floor vote. And then hopefully the Senate will be inspired to do the same!
Although oral testimony is by invitation only, ANYONE can submit written testimony as long as it is sent no later than August 5th to:
Matt Aumand
Committee Assistant
Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
Room 513 – Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: aumandm@assembly.state.ny.us
We urge you to send in written testimony. Also, if you haven't already done so, please go to the GMO Free NY Facebook page right now and "Like" it, making sure your Notification settings are turned on. We will be posting a steady stream of action alerts for labeling supporters to follow and we want everyone to be kept in the loop. In fact, we suggest you scroll down and read through our most recent postings. You can also follow us on Twitter, @GMOFreeNYnet.
We all need to stand together on this if we want GMO labeling in NYS to be a reality. Thank you in advance for your support and help. Let's fill all of the seats in Lehman College's East Dining Room with our people!!!
--GMO Free NY
email:info@gmofreeny.net
web:gmofreeny.net
Facebook:facebook.com/pages/GMO-Free-NY/439598096119410
Twitter:twitter.com/GMOFreeNYnet