WHEREAS: Genetically engineered foods have never been proven safe, nor are genetically
engineered foods tested by any federal agency as the Food and Drug Administration
requires only that the companies engineering these foods state, on the "honor
system" that the foods are safe with no further testing required; and
WHEREAS: Cornell University researcher, John Losey, and other researchers indicated
in repeated tests that the larvae from Monarch Butterflies were dying at an alarming
rate from toxic pollen generated from the genetically engineered corn near their
feeding sites; and
WHEREAS: A class action lawsuit has been brought against the Food and Drug Administration
by some of the nation's most prominent anti-trust lawyers for rushing these novel,
unpredictable and untested food technology products to the market; and
WHEREAS: Numerous bioengineers and related distinguished scientists have gone
on record stating this technology clearly is different from traditional breeding
methods and is highly probable to exhibit a host of undesirable health and environmental
risk factors as well as great potential for negative cascade effects in the genetic
cross-pollination of beneficial plants, insects and other fragile ecosystems directly
linked to the breeding of this novel experimental food production technology; Now,
Therefore Be It
RESOLVED: That the Boston City Council, in meeting assembled, urges the Federal
Government to require labeling of genetically manipulated foods and further urges
a moratorium on the production of any more of these foods until acceptable testing
systems are in place; and Be It Further
RESOLVED: That March 26, 2000 be declared YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT DAY in the
City Of Boston