Bob Marx is Candidate for Hawaii 2nd Congressional District; He's a Democrat who lives in Hilo
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Bob Marx is Candidate for Hawaii 2nd Congressional District; He's a Democrat who lives in Hilo
HONOLULU, HAWAII – Democratic Congressional candidate Bob Marx calls for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require labeling of genetically engineered foods.
Responding to a February 8th letter from US Congress to the FDA, where Democratic leaders Barbara Boxer (CA) and Peter DeFazio (OR) asked the FDA to consider a legal petition filed by 400+ companies and organizations to demand that the FDA label genetically engineered food, Bob Marx declared:
“Our keiki and ‘ohana have been eating genetically engineered food for almost 15 years now. We don’t know if it is safe for them. As your Congressman, I will demand that Americans know the risks of genetically engineered food. We must demand that the federal government require transparency in the gentic engineered food industry.”
Marx continued, “Almost 80% of processed foods in US supermarkets contain genetically engineered ingredients. Yet, we are one of the only industrialized nations in the world where we are not given the right to chose if we want to eat these potentially harmful products. This right to choose is a fundamentally American principle. Americans need to know what is in their food.”
In preparation for tonight’s televised Town Hall meeting, hosted by the Hawai’i Democratic Party Environmental Caucus in Moanalua, O’ahu, Bob Marx had the following to say:
“The FDA says their hands are tied when it comes to labeling of genetically engineered food. We need to untie their hands – now. Genetically engineered food labels are required in 50 countries around the world, but not in America. Hawai’i’s residents live alongside genetically engineered food farms throughout the state, yet its risks are not known. Hawai’i’s newborns breathe in pollen that contain genetic material from experimental crops.”
“You can stop using DDT. You can recall a pesticide if you find out it’s harmful. But you can’t recall DNA. We must demand that the federal government require transparency in the genetically engineered food industry.”
Marx concluded, “We must stop tax breaks for large corporations that use Hawai’i as a genetics laboratory. That energy and those tax dollars must be redirected to benefit local farmers who are a cultural and economic backbone to our state. Instead, we must invest in sustainable agricultural initiatives at Universities and local organizations, to protect our biodiversity and the livelihoods of Hawai’i’s hard-working people.”
