bellascribe | | You all probably know about this already, but it's important enough to risk redundancy in order to get the word out. Please act now! March 8 is just days away. From the Organic Consumers Association:
We'd like to thank OCA supporters who responded to our action alert earlier this week and contacted your House of Representatives member to vote against H.R. Bill 4167. This blatantly anti-consumer Bill would eliminate over 200 state food safety labeling laws.
Yesterday, March 2, we won an unexpected and important victory, when the House decided to delay a scheduled vote on the controversial "National Unity for Food Act" until March 8. Industry lobbyists representing major food, biotech, and retail chains were shocked at the nationwide backlash against the legislation.
Congress members felt the heat as 50,000 consumers, including over 30,000 from the Organic Consumers Association, barraged Congress with email letters and phone calls over the past four days. Siding with consumers, a number of major newspapers published editorials against HR 4167, while Attorney Generals from 35 states sent a strong letter to Congress opposing the Bill. But Congress is still poised to pass this Bill, which takes away your right to know what's in your food.
How You Can Help
* If you have not already done so, please Take Action Now--Send a Message to Your Congress Member in the House of Representatives to Vote "No" on H.R. 4167 http://www.organicconsumers.org/rd/labeling.cfm
* Please forward this Action Alert to five or more of your friends to ensure that the House votes "no" on HR Bill 4167 on March 8. We need to continue to inundate Congress with letters, sending a strong message that we want food safety laws and labels strengthened, not weakened.
* Also please consider picking up your phone and calling the Congressional Switchboard 202-224-3121 and have them connect you with the office of your Representative. Phone calls at this point are extremely important.
* In addition, OCA needs to raise at least $10,000 to crank up our phone bank next week to get thousands of organic consumers in key Congressional Districts to call or send a letter to their Representative. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the OCA now http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm
Again thanks for taking action on HR 4167. Our cause is just and our numbers are growing. We will provide you with an update next week, as soon as Congress votes on this important issue of local democracy and food safety.
Regards & Solidarity,
Ronnie Cummins and the OCA Team
Related News Headlines
3/2 - New York Times Slams Special Interest Bill to Eliminate State Food Safety Labeling Law
3/1 - Congress vs. Food Safety (Chatanooga Press)
2/28 - Industry Lobbies Congress Over Food Labels (Associated Press)
2/25 - States right in food fight (Toledo Blade)
2/24 - State Leaders Take Charge (Wall Street Journal)
2/18 - Feinstein-Boxer: Don't Preempt California Food Safety Laws (Ubanet/CA)
2/2 - Federal food label law would trump California's Prop. 65 (Scripps Howard News Service)
1/30 - "Food Labeling Uniformity" Bill Will Actually Eliminate Consumer Choice -- Act Now
1/16 - Corporate Food Giants & Congress Threaten States' Rights to Label Food
12/15 - House Republicans Move to Kill State Food Safety Labels
11/8 - Industry Pressing Congress to Outlaw States' Rights to Require Labels for GE Food
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Finland, MN 55603
Phone: (218)- 226-4164 Fax: (218) 353-7652
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