Obama pledged to label GE foods
June 25, 2015
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As a candidate, you pledged to give consumers the right to know if their food contains genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). National polls show that nine out of ten Americans share your view. Regardless of age, income, education level or even party affiliation, Americans want the right to know what is in their food and how it was produced – the same right held by citizens in 64 other nations.
We hope that you will fulfill your pledge and direct FDA to require food companies to label products that contain GMOs.
However, we are concerned that Congress has introduced H.R. 1599 – GMO legislation which we refer to as the “Denying Americans the Right to Know” or DARK Act. If enacted, the DARK Act would limit the FDA’s ability to create a national GMO labeling system, perpetuate our broken voluntary labeling system, and block state initiatives to give citizens this basic information about their food.
Mr. President, your White House has been a beacon of leadership on the importance of food choices for all Americans. We urge you to fulfill your commitment to require GMO labeling and we implore you to let Congress know that you will veto the DARK Act if it is presented to you. Standing up for the right of consumers to know what is in their food and make their own choices was the right stance in 2007 and it is the right stance today.
Sincerely,
Andrew Abraham, Founder and CEO, Orgain, Inc.
Summer Auerbach, Second Generation Owner, Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets
Dan Barber, Chef/Co-Owner, Stone Barns at Blue Hill
Caron Balman, Manager-Supplements, Kimberton Whole Foods
Fedele Bauccio, CEO, Bon Appetit Management
Rick Bayless, Chef/Owner, Frontera Grill
Andy/Rachel Berliner, Co-founders, Amy’s Kitchen
Trudy Bialic, Director, Public Affairs, PCC Natural Markets
Marco Borges, CEO, 22 Days Nutition
Doug Brent, CEO, Made in Nature, Inc.,
Clifford Brett, Jr., CEO/Owner, Kimberton Whole Foods
David Bronner, CEO, Dr. Bronners, Inc.
Michael Bronner, Founder and Chairman, UNREAL, Inc.
Jon Cadoux, Founder/CEO, Peak Organic Brewing Co.,
Kevin Cleary, CEO, Clif Bar, Inc.
Morty Cohen, CEO, Falcon Trading Company
Tom Colicchio, CEO, Craft Hospitality
Kerry Collins, CEO, Applegate, Inc.
Kit Crawford, Co-Owner, Clif Bar, Inc.
Joel Dee, President, Edward & Sons Trading Company
Steve Diakowsky, President & CEO, Taste of Nature Foods, Inc.,
Adnan Durrani, CEO, Saffron Road, Inc.
Steve Ells, Chairman and CEO, Chipotle
Shane Emmett, CEO, Health Warrior
Gary Erickson, Co-Owner, Clif Bar, Inc.
John Foraker, CEO, Annies, Inc.
Leonard Freeke, CEO & Founder, The Veri soda Company
Michael Funk, Co-Founder and Chairman, UNFI, Inc.
Mark Fergusson, Chief Executive Officer, Down to Earth Organic & Natural
Diane Gibb-Lahodny, Owner, Campbell’s Nutrition
Gail Graham, General Manager, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Coop
Jerry Greenfield, Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry’s, Inc.
Hitesh Hajarnavis, Founder, esSVee Life
Gary Hirshberg, Chairman, Stonyfield Farm, Inc.
Roland Hoch, Vice President, Global Organics Ltd.
Janie Hoffman, CEO & Founder, Mamma Chia, Inc.
Cheryl Hughes, Owner, The Whole Wheatery
Steve Hughes, Founder and CEO, Boulder Brands, Inc.
Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder, Sweetgreen, Inc.
Mindee Jeffery, Product & Standards Analyst, Good Earth Natural Foods
Ashley Koff, CEO, Better Nutrition Simplified
Jesse LaFlamme, CEO, Pete and Jerrys Organic Eggs
Grant Lundberg, CEO, Lundberg Family Farms, Inc.
Rose Marcario, CEO, Patagonia, Inc.
Matt McLean, CEO, Uncle Matts
Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group
Sam Mogannam, Founder and President, Bi-Rite Market
Rod Moyer, Co-founder, Beverage Innovations Group
Dean Nelson, President, Dean’s Natural Food Markets
Nell Newman, Co-Founder, Newmans Own Organics
Michel Nischan, President/CEO, Wholesome Wave
Bu Nygrens, Co-Founder, Dir. of Purchasing, Veritable Vegetable
Doug Obenhaus, Grocery Manager, Royal River Natural Foods
Michael Potter, Chairman and President, Eden Foods
Angela Reusing, Chef-Owner, Lantern
Douglas Riboud, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Harmless Harvest
Evan Richards, Founder, Rejuvenative Foods
Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Markets
Maria Rodale, CEO, Rodale Press
Edouard Rollet, Co-Founder, Alter Eco Foods
Layne Rolston, Communications Director, Good Food Store
Scott Roseman, Founder and CEO, New Leaf Community Markets
Mark Schoninger, Owner, Bath Natural Market
Erin Schrode, Co-Founder and Spokeswoman, Turning Green
Mathieu Senard, Co-Founder, Alter Eco Foods
Ron Shaich, CEO, Panera Bread, Inc.
Corinne Shindelar, CEO, Ind. Natural Food Retailers Association
Robynn Shrader, CEO, National Co+op Grocers
Craig Sieben, President, Seiben Energy Associates
George Siemon, CEO, Organic Valley
Jared Simon, Sr., Director of Marketing, Hain Celestial
Jim Slama, CEO, FamilyFarmed
Joel Solomon, CEO, Joel Solomon Company
Jimbo Sombeck, President, Jimbo’s Naturally
Tom Spier, CEO, Boulder Food Group
Steve Spinner, CEO, United Natural Foods, Inc.
Mark Squire, President, Good Earth Natural Foods
Arran Stephens, Co-founder and CEO, Nature’s Path Foods
Bobby Sullivan, General Manager, French Broad Food Co-op
Sam Talbot, Founding Executive Chef, The Surf Lodge
Shazi Visram, CEO, Happy Family, Inc.
Dennis Wagner, President, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, Inc.
Bill Weiland, President and CEO, Presence Marketing
Tim Westwell, CEO, Pukka Herbs, Inc.
Bill Whyte, CEO and Founder, WS. Badger, Inc.
Stephen Williamson, CEO, Forager, Inc.