Codex Continues to Assume GMO Labeling Would Confuse Ignorant Consumers

(www.Borganic.org) At the latest Codex Commission on Food Labeling (CCFL) meeting held in Calgary, Canada in May, the US and its allies continued to push for the case that food created through the use of genetic modification (GM) needs no labeling. Despite the fact that 90 percent of Americans, Africans and Europeans want genetically modified organisms (GMOs) labeled, the large multinational food corporations realize that profits come before health and believe that "GM/GE foods are in no way different from other foods simply due to their method of production". The representatives from the 49th Parallel International NonGovernmental Organizations (INGOs) countered that argument by stating, "If, as the United States has claimed, there is no difference between GM foods and non-GM food, then why do companies rush to the Patent Office to patent their special GM food?"

This contentious issue has been hotly debated for the past 19 years at Codex with no chance for agreement as the entire EU, Brazil, all African countries and Saint Lucia demanded that GMOs be labeled so consumers are able to make an informed choice. The US amazingly submitted a document detailing how labeling GMOs would in fact be in violation of Codex regulations which states, "food shall not be described or presented in a manner that is false, misleading or deceptive, or is likely to create an erroneous impression regarding its character in any respect". The National Health Federation (NHF) challenged the US and stated that consumers want GMOs to be labeled and the only way GMOs would ever be sold is if consumers remain ignorant of what they are consuming. The multinational representatives of Codex simply believe that consumers would be too confused if GMOs were properly labeled. After some cantankerous infighting amongst representatives regarding the wording of the Draft Recommendation of GM-food labeling a stalemate emerged.

After an acrimonious debate, Chairman Paul Mayers intervened and declared that this issue will not be solved at this meeting and proposed a three-year reprieve from GM-food labeling. The intense pressure from the delegations of Kenya, Denmark and the EU caused the chairman to drop the idea of scrapping the GMO labeling issue for the next three sessions. The session once again ended with the chairman stating the importance of this issue and asked that the progress be continued at next years CCFL meeting to be held in Quebec City, Canada.

The labeling issue remains a contentious one and seems to revolve around the fact that countries who put profits ahead of health do not want any liability when the health effects (e.g., Morgellons Disease, increased allergies, cell death, liver, kidney and fertility problems) begin to be inextricably and causally linked to the long term consumption of toxic GMOs. Codex representatives are not elected by the people and therefore in no way do they represent the views of the majority; they are appointed bureaucrats by the large multinational industries of the western world as a means of securing future profits at the expense of the health of future generations. If you want to help oppose Codex please take a few minutes to sign a petition asking for Congressional oversight on the Trilateral Cooperation Charter (TCC) which has linked the Health Products and Food Branch, in Canada; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in the United States; and the Federal Commission for the Protection from Sanitary Risks, Secretaria de Salud, in Mexico. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/co...

The TCC is attempting to force the US into a North American Union thereby ushering in Codex Alimentarius guidelines. You can also send a message to your congressperson about TCC using the link below.

http://www.usalone.com/cgi-bin/peti...

References
National Health Federation Press Release, May 6, 2009. Codex Committee Continues Work on GM Labeling. Online: http://www.thenhf.com/press_release...

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