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I [am the] founder of a biotechnology company that makes products with genetically modified organisms for the food industry. Like 88 percent of my fellow scientists, I believe that genetically engineered foods are safe. But unlike many of my colleagues, I’m among the 89 percent of Americans who believe that bioengineered ingredients should be identified on food packaging.
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Foods with bioengineered ingredients are safe, but shrouding them in secrecy breeds doubt and fear. Clear, informative labeling is a first step toward transparency that can build trust and educate consumers. But trust has to go both ways: Biotechnology companies and food producers must trust consumers to educate themselves and make informed decisions.
. . . . [A] new labeling law in Vermont . . . requires that foods containing bioengineered ingredients be labeled with the words “produced with genetic engineering.” This is not nearly enough information for consumers to make informed choices.
Which ingredients are made using genetic engineering? And more important, why?
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. . . . However, inadequate labels are not a reason to not label; they are a reason to push for better labels.
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As Congress debates nationwide labeling requirements, its members should remember that the American people need federal mandatory labeling guidelines for all bioengineered ingredients. Clear, consistent and truly informative labels will mean that consumers have not just the right to know about their food, but the ability to think about how it is made.
Read full, original post: I Run a G.M.O. Company — and I Support G.M.O. Labeling