From: Hannah Doress [hdoress@wafs.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 5:45 PM
To: 'fdadockets@oc.fda.gov'
Subject: labeling benefits consumers and corporations

Dear Commissioner Henney,
I am deeply disappointed with the proposed Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) regulations. Americans are genuinely concerned for their own health
and about the impact genetically engineered (GE) foods could have on the
sustainability of agricultural production in the U.S. The new rules fail to
require labels or safety tests and seem only to protect the economic
interests of biotech corporations.
The Biotechnology Consultative Forum is among many organizations that have
urged the US to require mandatory labeling of GE foods. Consumers cannot
make educated choices, and scientists cannot trace health effects without
labeling.
I urge you to insure that GE foods are subject to pre-market testing and
labeling.  It will only harm the same U.S. companies that are lobbying
against labeling if we do not insist on a safe food supply. Just look at
recent recalls of GE-tainted food which have cost food producers thousands.
Americans have a right to make informed decisions about the food we consume
and our corporations must be protected from their own short-sighted greed --
which could have catastrophic effects on our health and economy and their
future bottom-lines.
Thank you for acting swiftly to require labeling and testing of GE foods,

Hannah Doress
Fairfax, CA