Lawsuit challenges Vermont's GMO labeling law

Lawsuit challenges Vermont's GMO labeling law

Four national organizations whose members would be affected by Vermont's new labeling law for genetically engineered foods filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court challenging the measure's constitutionality.

"Vermont's mandatory GMO labeling law — Act 120 — is a costly and misguided measure that will set the nation on a path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling policies that do nothing to advance the health and safety of consumers," the Grocery Manufacturers Association said in a statement about the lawsuit.

The state Legislature passed the labeling law in April, and Gov. Peter Shumlin signed the bill in May. The labeling requirements would take effect July 1, 2016.

Those 4 National Organizations are: GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association), the Snack Food Association, the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Association of Manufacturers.

I think that if they are going to force us to eat GMO then they need to have labels on the products so that people can decide for themselves if they are going to eat a GMO product or not. I'm pretty sure they are afraid that if they did have labels, product sales would drop & that is something that is not allowed (Corporation law).

GMO is terrible & there is 0 need for it. Aquaponics & Hydroponics is the way to feed the masses.
For those who think that Monsanto & other companies wouldn't lie about their products being safe, look at other cases where companies/corporations lied,
Ex: PG & E (Erin Brochovich) Or radioluminescent" paint used on wrist watches back in the day (the people who made them started to become very sick)


What do you think?

I sure hope that they lose this law suit and other states create labeling laws.

I was very disappointed with my state (CA) when the GMO labeling bill was defeated here.

In what reality is labeling what we eat a BAD thing?

These GMO promoting morons need to get kicked right out of court.

originally posted by: Metallicus
In what reality is labeling what we eat a BAD thing?

These GMO promoting morons need to get kicked right out of court.

it's bad because people would stop buying products that contain GMO & corporations number one rule/goal is to make money.

originally posted by: MagicWand67
I sure hope that they lose this law suit and other states create labeling laws.

I was very disappointed with my state (CA) when the GMO labeling bill was defeated here.

I'm peeved that in the Okanagan (B.C), where I live, there is a company that is trying to make a GMO apple & wants it to be tested in the Okanagan. I also heard that some companies like safeway & walmart might start to sell GMO salmon soon.

I have heard other states also want to pass the labeling laws but I'm sure it's getting swept under the rug.

The money coming from the manufacture of GMO poison is too good and great for the pockets of the whores in states and congress, that is why is never going to pass.

Rather than forcing companies to label GMO it should be the contrary start to add in big words NO GMO and it works as good.

Personally I do not purchase anything that is manufactured and if I can not read the ingredients that is not fit for consumption.

I am in disbelief that this bill didn't pass in California.

The key to Cali is to tug at the Hispanic Population's heart strings as when GMO Corn was widely grown here and we were able to undercut Mexico's pricing on Corn (they actually have the most varieties of Corn in the World by far) it basically forced a Million workers in Mexico to find new jobs.

Now, my main question is how is it possible to loose a Court Case based on Labeling. Labeling has been done for decades. Is this a case where the State will loose on purpose?? Its a no loose proposition. Let the voters pass the Law than get paid and loose a court case.

I wonder how many of these companies also sell organic foods at high prices.

a reply to: Margana

I feel like being a contrarian. The responses in this thread show why the lawsuit (to set aside the mandatory labelling act) should prevail.

Certainly, consumers should have information about what they're eating, but what will they be getting with a GMO label? The responses say it's terrible, and we hate it. There are campaigners world-wide who will mount protests and picket, and issue fear-mongering press releases.

We know that is likely, look at Alar and DDT.

And all of these attacks based on what evidence? The French study has been shown to be a hoax. The scientific community hasn't come out against GMO. (Some have, but there's even less of a consensus here than there is for Global Warming or whatever it's called.)

What does this labeling do? What will be achieved if we ban GMO foods? For one, millions will die because of vitamin deficiency, that's why Golden Rice is being hailed as a great hope in Asia. Secondly, since GMO methods produce more food than other types, many will die because of lack of food.

It just hit me. Some environmentalists have called humanity a cancer on the earth and that the population must be decreased. Is this a way to cause more deaths while not directly killing anyone? I don't know.

Also banning GMO hurts a few large corporations like Monsanto. I know, I know, it used to be all the rage to hate large corporations, but we should really check Obama's list to find out whether Monsanto is on his hate list, or on his list of large corporations he loves and will bail out because they support him.

Finally, it will provide consumers with misleading information. Labeling something as GMO should have the same scientific value as saying that the food was produced in a Southern State (None that has been shown to be true)

Oh, Erin Brokovich? Several studies have shown that she was making up cancer numbers and that the area around the town had no more cancers than other places without gas wells. Same thing with Carson's bogus claims in Silent Spring. And the gigantic mouse tumors? After looking at the reports, scientists concluded that dosages of that size of just about anything, would kill the mice, or deform them.

a reply to: Margana

It's an outright attack on States Rights - it's costing them too much to fight State by State.

So these organizations are saying their rights are more than our rights to know what we are eating. Well, maybe we should force the government to disband these organizations that are infringing on our inalienable rights to know what we put into our mouths.

I am not even getting into whether there is a problem with the GMO, I am questioning their ability to even file suit in this case. Since when does a tiny percent of the non-government population control all of the population. If the judicial system approves their lawsuit, we should remove the people who are in our whole judicial system and revamp it so corruption is less likely to form the laws that govern us.

Oooh, i'm getting a little cranky, got to go sleep pretty quick.

originally posted by: charles1952
a reply to: Margana

I feel like being a contrarian. The responses in this thread show why the lawsuit (to set aside the mandatory labelling act) should prevail.

What about the responses makes you think that we should not have mandatory labeling?

Certainly, consumers should have information about what they're eating, but what will they be getting with a GMO label? The responses say it's terrible, and we hate it. There are campaigners world-wide who will mount protests and picket, and issue fear-mongering press releases.

I don't understand what your trying to say? A GMO label lets consumers know what is going into their body. Some people want to avoid as much additives & other junk in their foods so why not GMO? Just because you think it is safe?

We know that is likely, look at Alar and DDT.

I have never heard of these products so I had to look it up. Aside from the fact that Alar is a carcinogen, yes there was a media frenzy with some incorrect information. I still don't like the fact that it is a carcinogen & as such it still poses a health risk.
As for DDT, all I am finding about it is that it is a banned pesticide. science.gc.ca: DDT

And all of these attacks based on what evidence? The French study has been shown to be a hoax. The scientific community hasn't come out against GMO. (Some have, but there's even less of a consensus here than there is for Global Warming or whatever it's called.)

I haven't heard anything about the French study being a hoax. Let me ask you a question:
Monsanto, an American Corporation, first created GMO because Roundup was killing crops. Now we all know the number one rule/goal of American Corporations is to make money, people's safety comes second. (look at vehicle recalls) Monsanto conducts research on it's GMO products & find it's harmful. Do they A) Pull the thousands of products Or
B) do they lie?

There is a reason why Monsanto doesn't conduct any long term studies, they know the results would show that their product is harmful.

GM Soya Fed Rats: Stunted, Dead, or Sterile

Exogenous plant MIR168a specifically targets mammalian LDLRAP1: evidence of cross-kingdom regulation by microRNA

What does this labeling do? What will be achieved if we ban GMO foods? For one, millions will die because of vitamin deficiency, that's why Golden Rice is being hailed as a great hope in Asia. Secondly, since GMO methods produce more food than other types, many will die because of lack of food.

What does labeling do, tell consumers not to eat toxic stuff. What will be achieved if we ban GMO foods? No more toxic garbage in our foods. Guess what the only reason millions will die is because the government doesn't want to invest in Aquaponics/Hydroponics, something that can feed EVERYONE around the world without toxic stuff being in the food.

To think GMO is the only way to feed everyone is very naive.

It just hit me. Some environmentalists have called humanity a cancer on the earth and that the population must be decreased. Is this a way to cause more deaths while not directly killing anyone? I don't know.

Also banning GMO hurts a few large corporations like Monsanto. I know, I know, it used to be all the rage to hate large corporations, but we should really check Obama's list to find out whether Monsanto is on his hate list, or on his list of large corporations he loves and will bail out because they support him.

I'm sorry but I don't give a rats butt about American Corporations, they are greedy bastards who are destroying everything all so they can make more money. Monsanto should be a company that is destroyed. Between Agent Orange, RoundUp & GMO, they should be shut down.

As for caring what Obama thinks, why should I? Some rich puppet who lives a life of luxury & lies to the public left, right and centre. A guy who has enough money to eat the best foods & have the best health care available to him, pfft.

Finally, it will provide consumers with misleading information. Labeling something as GMO should have the same scientific value as saying that the food was produced in a Southern State (None that has been shown to be true)

It there is a label that says a product has GMO in it, it would only be misleading if there was no GMO in it. It's importance is right up there with labels that say "may contain nuts". We have the right to know what toxic garbage is going in our bodies and the fact that it doesn't concern you, is troubling. I would think you would care about things going in your body but obviously you don't. Just because you don't care, doesn't mean other people don't care.

Oh, Erin Brokovich? Several studies have shown that she was making up cancer numbers and that the area around the town had no more cancers than other places without gas wells. Same thing with Carson's bogus claims in Silent Spring. And the gigantic mouse tumors? After looking at the reports, scientists concluded that dosages of that size of just about anything, would kill the mice, or deform them.

I can't really comment on this as I have no knowledge of said studies claiming that she was making full numbers. My guess is that the corporations wanted to discredit her as money would be loss and that is unacceptable to corporations.

As for who this Carson person is & Silent Spring, I am unsure so I will leave it at that. Not sure if the gigantic mouse tumors is to do with that or with GMO studies so I can't comment on that part either.

Bottom line: Yes there should be GMO labeling as it tells consumers what is in their product so they can avoid buying it (same as if they wanted to avoid buying products high in additives)

No GMO is not the only solution to feeding the masses & anyone who thinks so needs to do some research on Aquaponics/Hydroponics.

If GMO was all it's hyped up to be they would advertise it themselves for a lot less than their pitifully estimated $400 cost increase per family. This is a case of corporate protected criminals scared of their fraud coming back on them and ruining their sacred limited liability cash cow at the entire population's expense. They have a monopoly on cheap, mass produced, destructive, nutrient free, toxic franken food. Imagine how big of a market they have all to themselves, and the rapid jeopardy they would be in once the cat is out of the bag. If the same thing happened with the global banking system and it's cancerous, wealth sucking effect on society we might all be able to free ourselves of the insane, greed driven debt. Somehow everyone owes everyone more money than has ever existed. Most of this is owed to the wealthiest 85 families who own more than 3.5 billion people. The debt collectors, I.E. IRS, The STATE, CREDITORS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, UTILITY COMPANIES, A-TURN-Y's all get a piece of the pie for extracting wealth from the population and A-TURN-ING it over to the elite. What do these people give us that we owe them for? What does the royal family spend all their time doing, besides being on TV, spending vast sums of money, taking over business and assets tax free style, who can compete in a rigged market with the pre-established big wig institutions, trust funds, and government subsidized or lobbied companies. Big- pharma, ridiculous laws and penalties, insurance companies, banks, monsanto, halliburton etc. One day people are going to look back on these times and say wow, those were some dumba.ss people, too stupid to see where all the money was really going, being wasted, used against us, and spent on luxury things no one needs while people starve, people are allowed to be dependent on gov't for life and are conditioned to bathe in poverty, and the destruction of small business through regulation, taxes etc when common law worked pretty dang well throughout the wealthiest parts of our history.

reading some of the responses - one wonders how any person who has even been within 100m of a GMO food product is still alive

I know Im asking for trouble when I post this. I know that what I say next might seem like an attack on people but when people say GM is terrible and how it should be banned (some may say world wide). First thing Look up the following man:

Norman Borlaug


Then also think to yourself: Its easy to cry outrage when you have a full stomach

NOW for the other side of the argument;

They should lable them, nuff said. People will still buy their products. Small margin will look at it and go "oh hell no" then a smaller margin of that margin will end up going back to GM because its cheaper

a reply to: charles1952

I hear what you're saying...and to some extent I agree.
GM food has helped feed the world.

But, celiac disease was not raging through the population before GMO wheat about 40 years ago
www.celiac.com...
urbanorganicnews.com...

I try to avoid GMO corn at all costs because I don't need RoundUp in my body.

I think it's a mistake to say all GMOs are a good thing.....we need balance...
As for lablelling....I'm find with them NOT allowing GMO to be labelled...as long as they allow labels to say food is NOT GMO....

a reply to: thekaboose

There's a difference between cross-pollination and selective breeding compared to genetic modification.

Genetic manipulation is not the same as modification.

I think when most people talk about GMO's we're referring to the "Franken food". Taking genes from pesticide resistant mold and inserting them into soy beans. Taking genes from spiders and inserting them into cows.

We already know that steroids are bad to inject in humans and cause cancer. Yet we allow our livestock to be injected with them. I think we have a right to know what is being done to our food supply and where it comes from.

And let's be honest here. Big Agra corporations have no interest in feeding the poor. The World already produces enough food to feed the entire planet. If that was the case then there wouldn't be people starving to death. The problem is food distribution and poverty. Thousands, perhaps millions, of pounds of food is wasted every day. Because it costs money to send it to hungry people.

Then there is the environmental impact aspect of the GMO industries. The "Round Up" ready crops are specifically intended for use with pesticides. These chemicals then contaminate our drinking water. They permeate the food we eat and cause all kinds of harmful health issues.

These chemicals are known to be endocrine disruptors. Which means they alter our hormonal balances and can have very serious effects on living organisms. They can cause birth defects, infertility, cancer, blood disease and many other problems.

These chemicals are also petroleum based. Which makes our food supply even more dependent on fossil fuels. This is not a sustainable method of farming and agriculture.

Would you pour a teaspoon of Round Up in your morning coffee? Why the heck would you want to eat foods that are saturated with it? I want to know if my food has been altered. So I can choose not to eat it.

originally posted by: thekaboose
I know Im asking for trouble when I post this. I know that what I say next might seem like an attack on people but when people say GM is terrible and how it should be banned (some may say world wide). First thing Look up the following man:

Norman Borlaug


Then also think to yourself: Its easy to cry outrage when you have a full stomach

NOW for the other side of the argument;

They should lable them, nuff said. People will still buy their products. Small margin will look at it and go "oh hell no" then a smaller margin of that margin will end up going back to GM because its cheaper

Read what I said to charles1952:

1) GMO is toxic ((read the two articles I posted, one about rats & the other about cell research)

2) GMO is not the only way to feed the masses, Hydroponics/Aquanponics is the way to go (just like i said to charles1952)

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
reading some of the responses - one wonders how any person who has even been within 100m of a GMO food product is still alive

that's quite the ignorant statement & 100% false.

Since the introduction of GMO products there has been an increase in stomach related illnesses like: Leaking Gut & Crohn's.

Your body doesn't always have an instant reaction to things that are being put into your body, it takes time for things to compound and cause issues, this is a KNOWN FACT! Over time carcinogens accumulate and cause cancers and other illnesses.

GMO is going nowhere. You see, people breed like cockroaches unawares of their own need and impact. So governments have to find ways to bring more food to market more cheaply to feed the ever growing roach infestation. Yeah, that's harsh but if we did everything organic we'd be starving already. I only say the later because the vast majority want food to pop into the grocery via magic at a price they can afford. People here might want to grow their own food, laws permitting, but most like the intellectually sedentary lifestyle where thinking is brought to an absolute minimum.

Then I have to make the even more depressing observation that people are living longer and women don't have to know how to cook anymore. I would go on but it's time to have some cloned corn and stingray tomatoes. Mmmm....

Want to be worried? When they start selling soylent green be worried.