From: markenc@earthlink.net
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2001 12:49 PM
To: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov
Subject: What's in your food? (FDA Dockets 00N-1396 and 00D-1598)


Dear Corporate and Government Leaders,

Neither government nor industry is protecting Americans from the risks posed to human health and the environment by genetically engineered (GE) foods. The Food and Drug Administration's "new" policy on GE foods (proposed January 18, 2001) continues to let the biotech industry regulate itself; it fails to require the long-term, pre-market safety testing demanded by independent experts. The "voluntary labeling" guidelines are a wholly inadequate response to the overwhelming public support for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. Therefore, I urge you to keep all genetically engineered ingredients and crops off the market unless:

1) Independent safety testing demonstrates they have no harmful effects on human health or the environment, 

2) They are labeled to ensure the consumer's right-to-know, and 

3) The biotechnology corporations that manufacture them are held accountable for any harms they may cause.


The issue of accountability is paramount to me and I wonder 
who is accountable for damage caused by unforseen 
consequences of genetic engineered crops. Is the FDA 
accountable for products it approves as safe [which to my 
mind means the taxpayers pick up the bill for industry 
mistakes] or are the industries accountable? What is the 
FDA's role once accidents have occured?














Sincerely

Mark Elliott
191 Riverbend Rd.
Siler City, North Carolina 27344