Massachusetts GMO Labeling Bill Public Hearing and Press Conference

On Tuesday Sept. 22 at 1:00pm, there will be a public hearing on Massachusetts’ GMO labeling bill, H.3242 in the State House (Gardner Auditorium). Before the hearing, MASSPIRG is hosting a press conference on Boston Common (near Park St. Station) to show how much support the bill has. The press conference starts at 11:30am — come and help us pass this bill and empower Massachusetts consumers’ with the right to know what’s in the food they eat.

There will be free (both in cost and in GMOs) Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at the press conference.

Check out this page for more details about labeling GMOs. We’ve also compiled a slideshow featuring testimony from each of the more than 100 legislators who have endorsed the bill:

Labeling genetically modified food is a simple, low-cost way to allow consumers to choose for themselves if they want to eat and purchase GMO foods. MASSPIRG’s position is that regardless of whether one is concerned about GMOs or not, the choice of whether to eat them is the right of every individual — not Monsanto’s.

Massachusetts would be the fourth New England state, along with Vermont, Connecticut and Maine, to adopt GMO labeling laws — joining 64 other countries in empowering consumers, including the entire European Union.

Despite bipartisan support from 154 of 200 members of the legislature and poll after poll showing more than 90% of the public favors labeling, Monsanto and other giant agribusiness companies are spending millions to oppose labeling efforts here and across the country. 

Fortunately, with enough support from the public, we can overcome the power of corporate money, pass this bill, and make GMO labeling the law.