FDA – Page 3

September 2016

As you now know, the president signed into law S.764, known as the DARK ACT 2016 on July 29. Signing of this bill nullified the state laws of Vermont, Connecticut and Maine that required the labeling of genetically engineered foods. It also nullified the GE seed labeling laws of Vermont and Virginia, and preempted Alaska’s law requiring labeling of all GE fish or fish products. With the vague wording of the law, even the FDA acknowledges that the bill will exempt most current GMO foods from requiring labeling. The FDA has 2 years to determine how the labeling will be handled.

Congress is currently on its summer recess. The House adjourned on 7/15 and will not return until 9/6, plus adjourning again from 9/30 – 11/14. The Senate adjourned from 7/18 – 9/5 and then again from 10/7 – 11/14. Obviously we cannot expect Congress to place our needs on high priority while they are either vacationing or campaigning for re-election. This means that the House will be in session for 111 days in 2016 and the Senate for 122 days. Meanwhile…who’s running the government?

What a great message from Diane Miller, our Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation lobbyist for state issues. If we pooled our resources and support together, we would have an even stronger foundation to fight our fight for health freedom and the freedom to treat our bodies by natural means. Please read Diane’s message below:

What if Everyone Working for Health Freedom United into One Huge, Cooperative Movement?

That is exactly the vision of National Health Freedom Coalition, which just hosted its 11^th US Health Freedom Congress. The vision is shared by many health freedom leaders who gathered to strategize together for the strength of the movement.

Here is why we host the US Health Freedom Congress:

We come together to share our visions and hope with each other.
We come together to help each other experience and remember we are part of a larger community, we are not alone.
We come together to expand the conversation and possibilities so that our voice can reach more seekers and the narrative of truth can pierce the propaganda machines.
We come together to find ways to address the pragmatic nay-sayers.
We come together to be honest with what we are needing to address and what we are up against.
We come together to be appreciated for the hard work and contributions we make.
We come together to celebrate each other and to celebrate the parts of our visions that are coming true.
And finally, we come together to add to our visions, to sharpen the focus of our intentions, and articulate and describe the work we really want to manifest.

United States Health Freedom Congress

We Come Together by Diane Margaret Miller

It is now more important than ever that we support the endeavors of all organizations whose goals and efforts are to help us keep our freedoms free: Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation (sunshinehealthfreedom.org); Right To Heal Naturally (righttohealnaturally.com); Alliance for Natural Health (ANH-USA.org); National Health Freedom Coalition (nationalhealthfreedom.org); Green America (greenamerica.org); GMO Inside (GMOinside.org); National Health Federation (thenhf.com)and many more like-minded organizations.

August 2016

Unlike most other developed countries— currently 64 countries have laws mandating labeling GMO foods, including the 15 nations in the European Union, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Russia and China—the U.S. has none. Yet polls have repeatedly shown that the overwhelming majority of Americans—over 90% in most polls—believe GMO foods should be labeled. Of those 64 countries that mandate labeling GM foods, many, including the European Union, Russia, Japan and even China, ban them outright.

In the spring of 2000, the FDA made the announcement that labeling of GE foods would remain voluntary, even though there was no indication that any company would voluntarily label GE foods. And in the 12 years since, none have. Companies who have eliminated GE ingredients to add “NON-GMO” labels to their products have faced tight regulations and litigation challenges from industry, while the FDA allows other companies to continue to use GE ingredients without acknowledgement.

In 2011, The Center for Food Safety submitted a formal legal petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on behalf of over 650 companies and organizations demanding that the FDA require the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. In 2014, individual states, such as Vermont, began taking action.

Forward to 2016: Dan Charles, NPR’s food and agriculture correspondent recently stated: “After years of bitter debate and legislative stalemate over the labeling of genetically modified ingredients, a compromise proposal sailed through Congress in breathtaking speed over the past three weeks.” The House of Representative passed the measure on Thursday, July 14 with solid support from both Democrats and Republicans. It now goes to the White House, where the White House says President Obama is expected to sign it. This would nullify a Vermont GMO labeling law that kicked in on July 1, 2016.

Within a few years, consumers will be able to find out whether any food contains GMO ingredients, but they won’t necessarily see that information on the package. Food companies will not be required to print the information on the package labels. Instead, consumers may have to scan a “QR code” found in the aisles of grocery stores, or the food labels may carry a text label, a symbol or an electronic code readable by smart phones that will indicate whether the food contains genetically modified ingredients. The Department of Agriculture will have two years to write the rules. The passage of this bill is a pretty big slap in the face to the poor, elderly, & disenfranchised. Actually, it’s a big slap in the face to everyone except the food companies. It’s quite obvious that the sudden push by both parties in Congress to present an agreed upon bill was to squash Vermont’s GMO labeling law.

There is also another elephant in the house regarding the labeling rules. The law leaves many details of the new labeling scheme to be worked out by the Department of Agriculture. These include, for instance, whether refined products like soy oil or sugar from beets will need to be labeled. While they are made from GMO crops, the final product doesn’t contain any genetically modified material, such as proteins or DNA.

As the Alliance for Natural Health stated: “The GMO Labeling Bill Is A Pen Stroke Away From Becoming Law.” DON’T DELAY: Before the president signs this bill, please contact your Senators and the White House and tell them you oppose this legislation. Texts and faxes to your senators and representatives, followed up by a phone call, are the best ways for making your voice heard. LET THE WHITE HOUSE KNOW THAT AMERICANS DO NOT WANT THIS LAW AS IT IS WRITTEN AND REQUEST THAT THE PRESIDENT NOT SIGN IT.

As this newsletter goes out, the President has not yet signed the bill. It is imperative that citizens contact their Senators and the White House before the clock runs out and it becomes a law. ACT NOW! And…support the endeavors of the Sunshine Health Freedom Fund’s efforts to help us keep our freedoms free.

Note from Joy: Unfortunately, President Obama signed into legislation the GMO Food Labeling Bill on July 29. We now need to flood the White House and our Congressmen in Washington for support in convincing the president to rescind this legislation.

This law sets a dangerous precedent to override the sovereignty of states, as many state labeling laws, including Vermont’s recently enacted GMO labeling law, are now void.

The info on the GMO labeling is accurate – We can use this info in contacting our Senators and Representatives. Contact number for the White House is 866-942-5138.

May 2016

821: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced the “BPA in Food Packaging Right to Know Act”, a bill that would require food companies to label packaging that contains BPA. Email or phone your senators that you have a right to know about BPA in food packaging. Ask them to support S. 821. This important bill would not only make sure consumers know which food packages contain BPA, but also instruct the FDA to investigate the hazards of trace exposures to BPA through food packaging.

The dangers of the toxic chemical bisphenol A are no secret. Even tiny amounts of BPA can disrupt the endocrine system. It has been linked to a wide variety of ills, including infertility, cancer, obesity, diabetes, early puberty, behavioral changes in children and resistance to chemotherapy. In other words, it has no place anywhere in our food or food packaging – yet it continues to be used to coat the insides of most of the 131 billion food and beverage cans made in the U.S. annually.

Last year, EWG scientists scrutinized more than 250 canned food brands and found that more than a third of them were still using BPA-based epoxy can linings for all their products. S. 821, the BPA in Food Packaging Right to Know Act would make sure American consumers know which products contain BPA and would empower the FDA to investigate and regulate it.

EWG’s strategic goals are to inspire, empower and unite Americans to live healthier, greener lives while protecting public health and the environment for generations to come. EWG’s groundbreaking research has changed the debate over environmental health. From households to Capitol Hill, their team of scientists, policy experts, lawyers, communication experts and programmers has worked tirelessly to make sure someone is standing up for public health when government and industry won’t.

* The above information obtained from EMG (Environmental Working Group). EWG commits to work on both state & federal issues. They are a good group to support, especially for National/Federal issues, which is an area where Nature’s Sunshine is lacking in support. (We all need to realize that State issues can become National issues and vice versa. Both areas need our constant support and representation).