From: Center for Food Safety [action@foodsafetynow.org]
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2001 8:23 PM
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 FDA,
 
I am scared and upset by your new policies on genetically engineered 
 (GE)foods. Despite overwhelming consumer demand, your agency still fails 
to require safety testing and mandatory labeling for GE foods. Your 
“notification” policy, ignoring scientific evidence of numerous potential 
health and environmental risks, keeps the consumer in the dark and 
unaware, thus creating a false sense of security regarding these foods. 
You should be aware that these foods could be toxic, could cause allergic 
responses, could have lower nutrition value, could compromise immune 
responses in consumers, and could cause irreparable damage to the 
environment. 

I am also firmly opposed to your new “voluntary labeling” policy, which 
denies consumers a basic right to know. Labeling needs to be mandatory. NO 
ONE is going to volunter to put a "genetically engineered" label on 
anything. It does not have "good" connotations. That kind of information 
they don't want you to know. But, if the product was "organic",  organic 
would be written all over in bold letters and bright colors because that 
appears in a good light and people know that is a good thing. Do you see 
where I'm going? GE foods MUST be labeled! No one will volunter that 
information. If this information is not available, we are being deceived.

Your proposed rules ignore serious concerns, and appear to be a decision 
made to convenience industry at the expense of public health and the 
environment. I trust you will take my concern along with the thousands of 
others into serious consideration.

If people want genetically engineered foods, I can't stop them. But those 
of us, myself included, who are not interested in having these foods a 
part of our diet want Genetically Engineered foods to be identified in the 
market! 

Sincerely,
Gary Paddock



Gary Paddock
20 Victory Street
Wakefield, RI, 02879

CC: 
The President
Vice President Dick Cheney
FDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00N-1396]
Senator Jack Reed
Senator Lincoln D. Chafee
Representative James R. LangevinFDA Dockets Management [Docket No. 00D-1598]


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