Maine Legislature Easily Passes GMO Food Labeling Bill, a Blow to Monsanto

[sailingaway]

http://fracturedparadigm.com/2013/06/14/maine-legislature-easily-passes-gmo-food-labeling-bill-a-blow-to-monsanto/

[BAllen]

Quite a paradox, huh?
On the one hand, as a consumer you want to know which foods are gmo. On the other, it's another regulation.

[NationalAnarchist]

Good for them.

[John F Kennedy III]

Awesome! 49 states to go.

[FrankRep]

Yay!

See how easy that was. No Federal Government needed.

[NationalAnarchist]

Thought Vermont and Ct. Already passed the same bill?

[libertyjam]

Awesome! 49 states to go.

48, CT already passed similar bill.

[jclay2]

Quite a paradox, huh?
On the one hand, as a consumer you want to know which foods are gmo. On the other, it's another regulation.

I am a little torn on this one as well.

[John F Kennedy III]

48, CT already passed similar bill.

Nice. Hopefully at the state level it will be handled better and more honestly than it would be at the federal level.

I dislike government just as much as anyone, but it is outright fraud to not list every single ingredient that the item contains on the package.

[sailingaway]

Nice. Hopefully at the state level it will be handled better and more honestly than it would be at the federal level.

I dislike government just as much as anyone, but it is outright fraud to not list every single ingredient that the item contains on the package.

It is fraud because the reasonable uninformed person (the general public) assumes produce and food is natural unless otherwise labeled given that all 'ingredients' are on the label. I think this is the Constitutional compromise where I come out. I see this as the Federal government using aggression through Monsanto capture of FDA and Agriculture, against the citizens, and in that case I come out for this regulation to let people know what is in it and choose voluntarily to not buy it. I understand that this issue pits some of our principles against others and I would rather just ban patenting organic, reproducable material altogether and get rid of FDA and the Federal Department of Agriculture so they can't impose this fraud on us by force. However, those solutions are not currently on the table.

[TaftFan]

It's not unreasonable as he have things like sodium and fat listings already.

[CaseyJones]

If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is impossible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011

[69360]

I am a little torn on this one as well.

Same here.

[libertyjam]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/p296x100/983956_614559395229251_1963072892_n.jpg

What a GMO label looks like on a box of Ghiradelli Brownie mix (same mix that they sell in the states) in Leeds, England. It was interesting that the GM'ed ingredients were labeled and the mix didn't cost any more than it does in the states.

[sailingaway]

If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is impossible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011

what is a PLU?

[CaseyJones]

Price look-up code
the stickers on the side of produce and other products
I posted that cause so many people don't know that you can find out whats GMO that way

[sailingaway]

Price look-up code
the stickers on the side of produce and other products
I posted that cause so many people don't know that you can find out whats GMO that way

I'm one of the people who didn't know - thank you!

[donnay]

People are definitely walking up and demanding to know what is in their food. Whoo Hoo!

I went to a farmers market today and the rancher I do business with told me that he just got back from a Farming Convention in Missouri, and the vendors there were pushing genetically engineered seeds and food filler for their live stock. He and a few farmers friends from Maine attended and they said that they would not feed the food filler to their animals nor would they plant genetically engineered seeds. He was met with shocking looks from the other farmers from the mid-west and southwest as though he was nuts. He, honestly, was shocked at the many farmers who were on board with this.

As a side note: Monsanto headquarters is located in Missouri. (http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/Pages/missouri.aspx)

[sailingaway]

People are definitely walking up and demanding to know what is in their food. Whoo Hoo!

I went to a farmers market today and the rancher I do business with told me that he just got back from a Farming Convention in Missouri, and the vendors there were pushing genetically engineered seeds and food filler for their live stock. He and a few farmers friends from Maine attended and they said that they would not feed the food filler to their animals nor would they plant genetically engineered seeds. He was met with shocking looks from the other farmers from the mid-west and southwest as though he was nuts. He, honestly, was shocked at the many farmers who were on board with this.

As a side note: Monsanto headquarters is located in Missouri. (http://www.monsanto.com/whoweare/Pages/missouri.aspx)

He should have mentioned that Monsanto thinks they own your seed corn if their gmo grain contaminates it. That might have changed their tune.

[libertyjam]

Price look-up code
the stickers on the side of produce and other products
I posted that cause so many people don't know that you can find out whats GMO that way

What your description is missing is that any use of 5 digit codes are voluntary, so all produce handlers have voluntarily decided to not use any of the codes starting with 8, therefore any produce in the grocery store that is GM will use the same 4 digit codes as the conventional counterparts.

[CaseyJones]

that's why you buy the 9s
though ultimately if you are really that worried about what you eat grow your own damn food

[libertyjam]

that's why you buy the 9s
though ultimately if you are really that worried about what you eat grow your own damn food

That is rather childish retort.

[MelissaWV]

That is rather childish retort.

But it's the truth. The more you know about your own food, the more confident you can be in its quality and nutritional properties. Everything affects your food: water used, pesticides, the soil, the seed origin, light source, method of harvesting... everything. Even with "organic" food you can't be sure of most of those things.

[libertyjam]

But it's the truth. The more you know about your own food, the more confident you can be in its quality and nutritional properties. Everything affects your food: water used, pesticides, the soil, the seed origin, light source, method of harvesting... everything. Even with "organic" food you can't be sure of most of those things.

Of course, but that's not the point is it? How many can realistically grow there own damn food? Not everyone.

[CaseyJones]

Of course, but that's not the point is it? How many can realistically grow there own damn food? Not everyone.

then go to farmers markets, take a trip to an organic farm that sells, see where your food is grown/raised
I am just sick of statist solutions being applauded here
how do you think things like this will be enforced?
it will either mean an expansion of the FDA or a brand new bureaucracy
plus its an added expense forced on companies that will be paid for by the consumer
most of whom do not care

[donnay]

He should have mentioned that Monsanto thinks they own your seed corn if their gmo grain contaminates it. That might have changed their tune.

Yeah definitely.

The other thing is Ralston Purina was one of the vendors, and they showed how they supply Burger King with onions rings made with the glue-like filler that they were trying to pushed for the livestock feed.

So even if you are aware of the deceptive practices of fast food places that serve food that was genetically engineered, you have to worry whether the steak you are eating was fed this genetically engineered feed.

[donnay]

then go to farmers markets, take a trip to an organic farm that sells, see where your food is grown/raised
I am just sick of statist solutions being applauded here
how do you think things like this will be enforced?
it will either mean an expansion of the FDA or a brand new bureaucracy
plus its an added expense forced on companies that will be paid for by the consumer
most of whom do not care

It will not be a federal mandate. If you want to do business in our state then you either do as we wish or don't do business in our state. The people have a right to know what they are consuming. Until such a time, when a truly free market commences we have to take it on a state-by-state basis.

[John F Kennedy III]

If there are only four numbers in the PLU, this means that the produce was grown conventionally or “traditionally” with the use of pesticides. The last four letters of the PLU code are simply what kind of vegetable or fruit. An example is that all bananas are labeled with the code of 4011.

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “8″, this tells you that the item is a genetically modified fruit or vegetable. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables trump being organic. So, it is impossible to eat organic produce that are grown from genetically modified seeds. A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011

If there are five numbers in the PLU code, and the number starts with “9″, this tells you that the produce was grown organically and is not genetically modified. An organic banana would be: 94011


Thanks bro. Stay away from 8s.

[John F Kennedy III]

that's why you buy the 9s
though ultimately if you are really that worried about what you eat grow your own damn food

As a mod on this forum you should know it is becoming increasing ILLEGAL to grow your own food.

[John F Kennedy III]

It will not be a federal mandate. If you want to do business in our state then you either do as we wish or don't do business in our state. The people have a right to know what they are consuming. Until such a time, when a truly free market commences we have to take it on a state-by-state basis.


Well said :)

[Occam's Banana]

I am a little torn on this one as well.

That's what happens when you don't have a free market. You're screwed either way.

So it comes down to a matter of taste. Do you prefer to take it doggie-style - or missionary?