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Vermont House Passes GMO Labeling Bill Ahead of Global March Against Monsanto

Vermont House Passes GMO Labeling Bill Ahead of Global March Against Monsanto
Mon, 5/13/2013 - by Anthony Gucciardi
This article originally appeared on Natural Society

In a legislative blow against GMO giant Monsanto and major food corporations who wish to keep you in the dark over what you’re eating on a daily basis, the Vermont House has passed a significant new GMO labeling bill known as H. 112 by a count of 99 to 42.

The great voter turnout means that representatives are either waking up to the reality of GMOs or at least being forced by voters to go ahead and take action on the GMO labeling issue. And as we’ve seen in other states like New Mexico, it comes down to a grassroots campaign demanding that action be taken while spreading awareness on a national level.

Unfortunately the New Mexico initiative, as you may be aware, was ultimately shot down by massive lobbying (as may have been expected with the recent passing of incognito legislation like the Monsanto Protection Act).

But despite the mass lobbying and mountains of cash that go into squashing labeling, around 90 plus percent (or more on average depending on the polling institute) of the public is in favor of GMO labeling — and an increasingly large number of this percentage are turning into hardcore activists who are sick of Monsanto’s food monopoly.

Activism Can Trump Lobbyists

What’s also interesting to note about this legislation, which is similar to Prop 37, is that it’s really the farthest in the legal system that any such bill has gotten. Prop 37 ultimately came down to a vote in California, and we know there was extreme foul play there with the Monsanto-backed organizations who sought to sabotage the entire GMO labeling initiative due to profit incentives, but the Vermont bill here can quite simply be passed by the Senate and be on its way to implementation.

I am very hopeful about this bill, and I think if we gather enough activism on this front we can send a message to the Vermont Senate that effectively reads: We will not tolerate Senators who betray the health of the public for profits and lobbyist relationships. I encourage everyone, whether you live in Vermont or not, to generate awareness over this issue. Share this article far and wide, and start demanding that GMO labeling be taken seriously.

The news comes ahead of a "global uprising against GMOs" happening later this month, as reported last week on Reader Supported News:

March Against Monsanto has announced that on May 25, tens of thousands of activists around the world will "March Against Monsanto." Currently, marches are being planned on six continents, in 36 countries, totaling events in over 250 cities, and in the U.S., events are slated to occur simultaneously at 11 a.m. Pacific in 47 states.

Tami Monroe Canal, lead organizer and creator of the now-viral Facebook page, says she was inspired to start the movement to protect her two daughters. "I feel Monsanto threatens their generation's health, fertility and longevity. I couldn't sit by idly, waiting for someone else to do something."

The full March Against Monsanto mission statement can be read here.

An organizer for the march in Athens, Greece, Roberta Gogos, spoke about the importance of the events in austerity-impacted South Europe. "Monsanto is working very hard to overturn E.U. regulation on obligatory labeling (questionable whether it's really enforced in any case), and no doubt they will have their way in the end. Greece is in a precarious position right now, and Greece's farmers falling prey to the petrochemical giant is a very real possibility."

Josh Castro, organizer for Quito, says he wants to protect Ecuador against Monsanto's influence, too. "Ecuador is such a beautiful place, with the richest biodiversity in the world. We will not allow this Garden of Eden to be compromised by evil multinational corporations like Monsanto. Biotechnology is not the solution to world hunger. Agroecology is."

Originally published by Natural Society.

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