Colle Farmers Market Discusses the GMO Labeling Debate in Washington State
Bohemia, NY (PRWEB) November 16, 2013 -- Colle Farmers Market responds to an article published by Al Jazeera on November 5th, which states that Washington state has become the center of the GMO labeling controversy.
According to an Al Jazeera article entitled “GMO labeling debate grows in the US,” a large debate emerged in Washington over Initiative 522, a state law that would require special labels for food products made with GMOs, or genetically modified ingredients.
The article says the initiative has been extremely controversial. Biotech and food corporations, who oppose the bill, believe that the bill will make GMO products unsellable, causing farmers to find different methods of farming and raising cost. In the article, Brandon Roozen, of the Skagit County Farm Bureau, describes the effects of the law on farmers. He says, "Right now, when you're operating a farm business, you're working [a majority] of the time just to make ends meet. The rest is profit margin, and anything that cuts into that margin affects things like employment and infrastructure."
Health experts say that GMO products are unnatural and are unhealthy both for humans and the environment, though scientists have not been able to come to a consensus on the side-effects of GMO foods. Either way, the law could decide the future of food law in the United States, as the decision will likely impact national attitudes towards genetic modification and twenty other states are currently reviewing similar laws.
A representative from Colle Farmers Market, an online farmers market, agrees that consumers need to know what they are ingesting. “There are significant concerns about GMO products. These issues range from health and environmental problems to discrepancies with corporate patent laws. Consumers have a right to know what they are buying and what they are eating. It’s a consumer’s choice to choose between organic products and GMOs. However, they must be labeled so consumers can make that choice. You can understand why Washingtonians would want to take GMO products off the market instead of risking the aforementioned problems.”
Colle Farmers Market is an E-Commerce enabled community that is passionate about sustainable consumption and responsible conservation. The Colle movement is dedicated to connecting natural product vendors, organic farmers and all people who are living an organic and natural lifestyle.
Scott Darrohn, Colle Farmers Market, http://collefarmersmarket.com/, +1 (855) 347-4228, [email protected]
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