KTVL: Consumer Reports Scientist In Rogue Valley To Discuss G.M.O.-Labeling Measure September 10, 2014
The G.M.O. ban in Jackson County was passed just a few months ago. Now there’s a statewide measure to label those products on the November ballot.
Michael Hansen is a senior staff scientist at Consumer Reports and speaks nationally as well as globally. Hansen said he discusses the importance of knowing what’s in our food. He said labeling helps people have a better idea of tracking health consequences and the world agrees.
“We would argue labeling is a material fact required on those foods and there’s global agreement on this. There’s 64 countries around world who require labeling right now,” Hansen said.
Vern Caldwell currently has Pholia Farm in Rogue River. He said labeling is a food rights issue and everyone should have the right to choose.
“If you are not given that opportunity simply because somebody doesn’t want you to know, that’s just wrong,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell said he doesn’t understand why a grower or producer would avoid listing what they produce. He said everyone he knows is proud of what they make.
“They’re more than happy to tell you what’s in it. In fact they might tell you too much of what’s in it,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell said the big companies exporting food already have labels listing every ingredient and so it should be easy to do the same for the U.S.
“They change their labels all the time, so it’s easy. From my standpoint, if they’re proud of what they’re producing, they would purposely put it on the label. Its maybe conspiracy theory, but what are they hiding. Why are they not proud of what they are producing?” Caldwell said.
Hansen spoke in Medford and will speak in Eugene and Portland.
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