by senior contributor Brendan Kownacki
Photo credit: Brendan Kownacki
What did you eat for breakfast? Do you even really know? That simple question sums up the core of the food labeling issue causing a hot debate on Capitol Hill and garnering the interest of some big names from DC and Hollywood alike. Sixty-four countries around the world have designated systems for food labeling that includes the necessity to label GMO – genetically modified organisms – yet the US has continually backed away from this policy. Allies like the United Kingdom think it’s critical to allow consumers to know what ingredients are in their food, but the US has been slow on the uptake. H.R. 1599, a policy under debate, labeled the Deny Americans the Right to Know or DARK Act by opponents would say that states have no responsibility to mandate labeling of ingredients on products and that has fired up a strong debate.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow
This week, Academy Award winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her actress mother Blythe Danner joined Sen. Jon Tester, Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Patrick Leahy to voice strong opposition to “The DARK Act” and came to the Capitol to raise awareness on the issue. The DARK Act passed the House of Representatives in late July.
Actress Blythe Danner
Paltrow was representing the “Just Label It!” campaign, a collection of companies whose main tenant is simply that consumers have the right to know what’s in their food. “I’m not here as an expert,” said the actress humbly about her appearance in Washington. “I’m here as a mother, an American mother who honestly believes that I have the right to know what’s in the food that I feed my family.” Paltrow was not dissuaded by recent criticism of herself or the cause who said that her role as an actress didn’t qualify her to take on the issue. Paltrow said that any American has the right to challenge the laws in front of us on behalf of protecting their family. Since starting a petition to support the cause less than 2 weeks ago, the document has already gathered 200,000 signatures.
Actress Blythe Danner
Paltrow called her mother, the iconic Blythe Danner who was also on hand to take on the cause, ‘inspirational’ and said that her activism gave her the metaphorical kick in the pants to take a stand. Danner herself said it was ’emotional’ to stand side-by-side with her daughter in advocacy. “Just to be here, to be with these senators who I’ve had such admiration for,” said Danner who expressed that her advocacy for the world has always about leaving the world better for her children and grandchildren.
Senator Jon Tester
Senator Jon Tester admitted that his interest in food labeling comes not from the Hill but his other job, running a farm in suburban Montana, his home state that he represents. “The more voices we can get involved and engaged on this issue, to be able to let the American people know where their food comes from is really, really important.” Tester’s glaring opposition to the bill is grounded in the fact that a federal law would restrict all states’ freedom to label their food as they see fit. The senator expressed interest in drafting a new bill that would allow states more autonomous ability to empower consumers to know what they are ingesting. “If anything comes out of this press conference today it’s that consumers start lighting up the phones of the folks serving in the Senate.”
Senator Barbara Boxer
Senator Barbara Boxer said that HR 1599 keeps consumers in the dark about what is in their food and thus the moniker it has earned. Senator Patrick Leahy touted Vermont’s forward stance on the labeling issue that already mandates stricter guidelines than other states; a practice that could be under fire if The DARK Act is passed. Senator Richard Blumenthal said that “consumers deserve truth telling.” Every voice up to the podium continued over and over to show that the controversy of the issue seemed to start and end at heavy-dollared lobbying that supported keeping this bill moving forward.
Senator Richard Blumenthal
The debate that rages seems to be misguided though once you realize that it’s not about using or supporting GMOs, but only about whether or not there is the freedom to label the products with two simple words, “genetically modified.” So what do consumers need, more rights or less? Ingredients or not? It’s debatable. But back to the question, what did you eat for breakfast? Gwyneth Paltrow and a lot of strong voices around her think you should have the right to know every last thing that was in there.
