Farmers Protest Monsanto Protection Act At White House

Farmers furious over the Monsanto bill and GMO labeling policies are protesting in front of the White House on Wednesday. More than 250,000 voters signed a petition opposing the Monsanto Protection Act. Food Democracy Now organized the farmers protest rally.

President Barack Obama signed the Monsanto Protection Act into law recently. The GMO-related text was a rider attached to House Resolution 933. Monsanto is a “short-term funding” measure that opponents feel undermines the independent aspect of the judicial review process. The protesting farmers and Food Democracy Now believes that the law allows biotech companies like Dow Chemical, Monsanto, and DuPont to have blanket approval when growing and selling genetically engineered crops.

The Food Democracy Now and farmers from across America are asking President Obama to pen an executive order that mandates all food products sold in the country be labeled when they contain GMO ingredients.

An excerpt from a Food Democracy Now statement about the Monsanto Protection Act and the White House protest reads:

“The so-called ‘biotech rider’ was included in budget legislation that won final approval from the House, avoiding a shutdown of the federal government on March 27, when the current funding was set to expire. The provision was slipped into the legislation anonymously and explicitly grants the U.S. Department of Agriculture the authority to override a judicial ruling stopping the planting of a genetically modified crop.

“If leadership in Washington, D.C. can betray the public behind closed doors, it’s time that the American public gain the right to transparency about what they are eating and feeding their families every day.”

According to a press release about the farmers protest at the White House, residents in 62 other nations from around the globe enjoy GMO labeling notification when purchasing food product. Food Democracy Now is also calling for President Obama to make good on a campaign promise uttered in Iowa in 2007. President Obama reportedly said, “Here’s what I’ll do as president, we’ll let folks know whether their food has been genetically modified because Americans should know what they’re buying.”

Anti-GMO Cartoon

http://youtu.be/KGqQV6ObFCQ

Both family farmers and food activists are fighting back against the 13 new GMO crops that are currently awaiting USDA approval. GMO salmon from AquaBounty could potentially garner FDA approval in April.

Food Democracy Now Video

How do you feel about GMO crops and the Monsanto Protection Act?

[Image Via: Shutterstock.com]