ED HAYES

After watching the movie ‘Food Inc.‘ I got the urge to write my United States Federal Government representative and Senators.  Take a look at what I sent them about food safety, quality, and labeling.

To:
Senator Roland W. Burris (D – IL)
Senator Richard J. Durbin (D – IL)
Congressman Mike Quigley (D – IL 5th District)

Message:
Food safety is incredibly important to me and my family.

I am writing you to request your support of “Kevin’s Law” (Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act: H.R. 3160 [109th]).

I am also writing you to introduce/support legislation on increasing the quality and quantity on food labeling and safety.  I would like to see the following required labels on food, drink, and other ingestible products:

• City/State of
  • Origin
  • Processor
  • Packager
  • Distributor
• GMO Identification  (Genetically Modified Organism)
• Cloning Identification
• Livestock Feed Type (what did the cow/swine/chicken eat?)
  • Corn
  • ⁃Soy
  • Free range grass
• All involved companies in the supply chain
  • Seed manufacturer
  • Farmer
  • Processor
  • Slaughterer
  • Transporter
  • Contractor
  • Packager
  • Distributor
  • Retailer
  • Etc.
• All involved chemicals
  • Pesticides
  • Fertilizers
  • Antibiotics
  • Hormones

Most of these labels would not be inherently incriminating, but all are involved in a products safety, quality, and environmental impact.

If a manufacturer knows consumers will hesitate to buy something based on the labeling, that is all the more reason to require it.  Drug companies are required to list “bad” side effects of drugs.  And tobacco companies are required to print surgeon general warnings on their products.  People have not stopped buying those products.

Food manufacturers should not get a free pass just because of political connections.

Many corporations will say “we don’t want these labels on our products because consumers are not educated enough to know what they mean.”  I have three responses to that:

1. All of these labels would ADD to the consumer education.  I want to be educated on how my food is created, processed, stored, and transported.
2. As a consumer, if I do not understand something I educate my self about it.  If I  saw a label that said this food is from GMO crops, I would look up what GMO meant and read information on the pros and cons of GMOs.
3. If companies don’t think consumers are educated, nor will educate themselves, then it is the companies responsibility to educate the consumer.  That is what marketing budgets are for.  If they think Cloned animals are safe, they should tell us why.  A good example: the corn industry had a huge marketing campaign to increase the positive attitude towards corn syrup.

Please pass legislation to increase food safety and quality. Support H.R. 3160 [109th].  And introduce/support new legislation requiring better food labeling.  My safety and the environment is important to me, I hope they are important to you as well.

Thank you
Edward Hayes