Senate to Vote on DARK Act Banning States From Requiring GMO Labels on Food

Megan Fuerst is a junior at The Ohio State University where she studies environment, economy, development and sustainability with a specialization in policy analysis. Megan is passionate about her roll as president of the Turning Green Student Advisory Board. She plans to pursue a career in politics to help implement policies that protect the environment and future generations.
On July 23, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of H.R. 1599, which has been dubbed the ‘Deny Americans the Right to Know’ Act or DARK Act by opponents.
Turning Green, a student powered non-profit dedicated to informing and mobilizing students around conscious living, is among many organizations advocating for consumers Right to Know. The DARK Act would block state laws requiring genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling and expand the definition of “natural” to include genetically modified ingredients.
Now, despite polls that show 9 out of 10 Americans support GMO food labeling, the DARK Act is in the hands of the Senate. Voting will take place sometime this month. Three states have already passed GMO Labeling laws, and 17 considered similar laws in 2015. If the Senate votes in favor of The Dark Act, these would all be negated. Profits of large biotech corporations would be protected and prioritized over consumer’s constitutional right to know.
As a representative of my generation, one that was born into a world where GMO’s dominate the shelves of grocery stores without our knowledge or consent, where we are exposed to harmful pesticide residues on the food we eat and in the air we breathe, I am standing up for my Right to Know. We demand that our Senators vote on behalf of us—the people—and against The Dark Act.
Watch our video and call your Senators. It is our right to know what is in our food.
Call your Senators today at 1-877-796-1949.
Sample script for calls: “Hello. I'm a constituent and I care about my right to know what's in the food I eat. I want my Senator to vote NO on any bill that would take away mandatory labeling for GMO foods."
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Glyphosate in Monsanto’s Roundup Is Linked to Cancer, But Big Ag Wants it in Your Food Anyway
New EarthX Special 'Protecting the Amazon' Suggests Ways to Save the World’s Greatest Rainforest
To save the planet, we must save the Amazon rainforest. To save the rainforest, we must save its indigenous peoples. And to do that, we must demarcate their land.
A new EarthxTV film special calls for the protection of the Amazon rainforest and the indigenous people that call it home. EarthxTV.org
- Meet the 'Women Warriors' Protecting the Amazon Forest - EcoWatch ›
- Indigenous Tribes Are Using Drones to Protect the Amazon ... ›
- Amazon Rainforest Will Collapse by 2064, New Study Predicts ... ›
- Deforestation in Amazon Skyrockets to 12-Year High Under Bolsonaro ›
- Amazon Rainforest on the Brink of Turning Into a Net Carbon Emitter ... ›
EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Anke Rasper
"Today's interim report from the UNFCCC is a red alert for our planet," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The report, released Friday, looks at the national climate efforts of 75 states that have already submitted their updated "nationally determined contributions," or NDCs. The countries included in the report are responsible for about 30% of the world's global greenhouse gas emissions.
- World Leaders Fall Short of Meeting Paris Agreement Goal - EcoWatch ›
- UN Climate Change Conference COP26 Delayed to November ... ›
- 5 Years After Paris: How Countries' Climate Policies Match up to ... ›
- Biden Win Puts World 'Within Striking Distance' of 1.5 C Paris Goal ... ›
- Biden Reaffirms Commitment to Rejoining Paris Agreement ... ›
Trending
Plastic Burning Makes It Harder for New Delhi Residents to See, Study Suggests
India's New Delhi has been called the "world air pollution capital" for its high concentrations of particulate matter that make it harder for its residents to breathe and see. But one thing has puzzled scientists, according to The Guardian. Why does New Delhi see more blinding smogs than other polluted Asian cities, such as Beijing?
- This Indian Startup Turns Polluted Air Into Climate-Friendly Tiles ... ›
- How to Win the Fight Against Plastic - EcoWatch ›
In a historic move, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) voted Thursday to ban hydraulic fracking in the region. The ban was supported by all four basin states — New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York — putting a permanent end to hydraulic fracking for natural gas along the 13,539-square-mile basin, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
- Appalachian Fracking Boom Was a Jobs Bust, Finds New Report ... ›
- Long-Awaited EPA Study Says Fracking Pollutes Drinking Water ... ›
- Pennsylvania Fracking Water Contamination Much Higher Than ... ›
Colombia is one of the world's largest producers of coffee, and yet also one of the most economically disadvantaged. According to research by the national statistic center DANE, 35% of the population in Columbia lives in monetary poverty, compared to an estimated 11% in the U.S., according to census data. This has led to a housing insecurity issue throughout the country, one which construction company Woodpecker is working hard to solve.
- Kenyan Engineer Recycles Plastic Into Bricks Stronger Than ... ›
- Could IKEA's New Tiny House Help Fight the Climate Crisis ... ›