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Dear Editor,

As a citizen and shopper concerned about the health, environmental, ethical, and socio-economic hazards of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and industrial-scale factory farms or CAFOs (Confined Animal Feeding Operations), I am writing to inform your readers about a new consumer campaign calling for Truth-in-Labeling. The campaign, sponsored by the Organic Consumers Association, is calling on conscientious grocers to implement voluntary package or shelf labeling of foods products  containing GMOs and/or products coming from large factory farms or CAFOs.

Although “USDA Organic” standards and labels prohibit the use of GMOs or CAFO confinement practices, the overwhelming majority of non-organic foods in grocery stores or supermarkets today fail to reveal whether or not they likely contain GMOs or come from a factory farm supply chain. Up to 90 percent of U.S. soy, corn, cotton, canola, and sugar beets are now genetically engineered and routinely laced into foods with no labels or safety testing whatsoever. And of course hapless animals confined in CAFOs are reared on a diet of genetically engineered corn, soy, cottonseed, and drugs.

According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Biotechnology Industry Association, approximately 80 percent of current grocery food items contain GMOs; while according to U.S. Department of Agriculture records, the majority of beef, pork, poultry, dairy, and eggs now come from CAFOs. 

CAFOs breed pathogens, pollute water-sources, add tons of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere and systematically abuse and mistreat animals.  CAFOs are defined legally by the Environmental Protection Agency as containing 1000 beef cattle, 700 dairy cows, 2500 pigs, or 125,000 broilers or 82,000 laying hens or pullets.

Health and ethically minded consumers such as myself believe that Americans have a right to know where our meat, dairy, and eggs come from and whether or not our produce and the ingredients in processed-foods have been genetically engineered. Conscientious, consumer-friendly grocery stores should clearly identify all food products containing non-organic soy, corn, cottonseed oil, canola, sugar beets or GM growth hormones with a label or shelf sign that says “May Contain GMOs” and identify all beef, pork, poultry, dairy, and eggs that come from CAFOs with a label or shelf sign that says “CAFO.”

To sign a nationwide petition urging major grocery store chains to voluntarily adopt Truth-in-Labeling practices go to:  http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/action.cfm

Thank you!

(insert your name and information here)