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California State Assemblyman Jared Huffman – A Name You Need to Know

Finally, we have a politician who is tired of all the shenanigans going on at the FDA and USDA, and he is taking action. His name is Jared Huffman, a California State Assemblyman representing the 6th District (Marin and Southern Sonoma Counties).

Based on everything I have been reading and despite the massive protests against it, the FDA is getting ready to approve genetically-engineered salmon. In a previous post, I went into all of the reasons why this is absolute lunacy and even some federal agencies, such as The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), are adamantly against it.

Also, in case you haven’t noticed, President Obama has said not one word about this issue. This doesn’t surprise me in the least as he continues to prove how against organic food he is.

Assuming genetically-engineered salmon gets approved, the next fight looming is to require that this FrankenFish be labeled as genetically-modified. Right now, there is no law in the U.S. that says genetically-modified food must be labeled.

If no law is enacted requiring this, we could be going to a restaurant in a few years time, ordering salmon off the menu and having no idea whatsoever if this fish was genetically-altered in a laboratory. Doesn’t it make sense that we should have the right to know if the fish we are eating is genetically-modified or not? After all, we have absolutely no idea what the potential side effects will be and whether it is safe to eat.

Given the USDAs and FDAs willingness to pander to the biotech industry and BigAg, it is unlikely that they will want to label this salmon as genetically-engineered. If they do this, then people will next demand (and rightly so) that all genetically-engineered food be labeled as such. That’s opening up a real can of worms, especially given that about 70% of all supermarket food is made with GMOs.

Well, our good friend in California, Assemblyman Jared Huffman, is doing something about this matter. Along with The Center for Food Safety, who co-sponsored the bill, he has just introduced Assembly Bill 88, which would require that all GE-salmon sold in California contain clear and prominent labeling. This important piece of food safety legislation will protect the public’s right to know how their food is produced.

My Take: This is a fantastic and shrewd move. Assemblyman Huffman’s action reflects the view of many, many Americans which basically says: We don’t trust the FDA and USDA, and do not believe that our federal government is taking the necessary steps to keep our food safe and healthy.

I sincerely hope that all California citizens rally to get this bill approved and that other states follow suit. The implications of this are incredibly significant. Why?

If we can raise the awareness level and enact laws that require GE-salmon to be labeled, the logical next step is to have state legislatures require that ALL genetically-modified food be labeled.

If our federal government won’t protect us and pass laws that are in our best interest, here’s hoping that our state governments will. This is one of the best pieces of news I’ve heard in a while.

Thank you very, very much Assemblyman Huffman.

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