From: Center for Food Safety [action@foodsafetynow.org]
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 9:58 AM
To: FDA Commissioner
Cc: president@whitehouse.gov; vice.president@whitehouse.gov;
fdadockets@oc.fda.gov; fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: Oppose the New FDA Regulations on GE Foods!

FDA Commissioner 
Dockets Management Branch (HFA 305)
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fisher's Lane, rm. 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

RE: Docket No. 00N-1396, and 00D-1598

Dear Sirs,
 
The new FDA policies on genetically engineered (GE)foods are inadequate, 
 because they do not require safety testing and mandatory labeling for GE 
foods.  

The safety issues are significant, especially in light of the 
environmental consequences, still uncalculated, of GE agriculture.  There 
have been numerous documented instances of introduced genes escaping into 
wild plant populations.  That genie will not go back in the bottle.

“Notification” is not a substitute for giving consumers a realistic choice 
in the marketplace.  If GE foods are as harmless as the industry claims, 
why do they need to keep their presence on grocery store shelves a secret? 
 Those of us who think GE foods are demonstrably unsafe, and those of us 
who think GE is bad for agriculture, have the right to vote against GE 
with our grocery dollars.  (Or does money only talk if you're Monsanto?)  

Furthermore, consumers harmed by GE products would be left unable to prove 
their exposure in court without mandatory labeling.  The proposed 
regulations amount to a public bailout of the GE industry, before the fact.

Sincerely,

Don Doumakes

Don Doumakes
3411 250th St
Logan, IA, 51546

CC: 
The President
Vice President Dick Cheney
FDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00N-1396]
Senator Charles E. Grassley
Senator Tom Harkin
Representative Greg GanskeFDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00D-1598]


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