Action alert and please forward... Without public debate, food crops are being used to create genetically engineered pharmaceutical drugs and industrial chemicals! It's called "pharming."
Three hundred (300) open-air field trials have already been conducted in unidentified locations across the country. While most of these substances are kept secret as confidential business information, a few known examples include a contraceptive, potent growth hormones, blood thinners, industrial enzymes, and vaccines. The ecological implications of hacked genetic code slipping into our food and forests and multiplying is worse than a bad computer virus! CONTACT THE FDA AND YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS (* see sample messages) * SAMPLE LETTER TO FDA: (FDA DEADLINE: Jan 10, 2003.) Food and Drug Administration Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305) 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061 Rockville, MD 20852 Re: Docket No. 02D-0324 I am writing to express my profound concern over the policy that allows food crops to be used to create genetically engineered pharmaceutical drugs and industrial chemicals. There must be a total ban on open-field testing of all transgenic "pharm" crops. Pharm production should take place only within totally enclosed facilities with high security, and only if pollen spread can be prevented. If grown at all, * Licenses to bioengineer common food or feed crops for pharmacologic production should not be granted. * All guidances should be mandatory, not "strongly recommended." * No permits should be granted until there is a requirement that the biotechnology industry assumes all liability for potential losses to farmers, human health, and the environment. * There should be no "confidential business information" exclusions involving any transgenic crops grown experimentally or commercially. Thank you for your attention, (your name, address and date) * SAMPLE MESSAGE TO ELECTED OFFICIAL: Dear Honorable... I am writing to express my profound concern over the policy that allows food crops to be used to create genetically engineered pharmaceutical drugs and industrial chemicals. I don't want pharm crops ending up in the food I feel my family! I urge you to mandate a moratorium on the outdoor release of all transgenic "pharm" crops. Address letters to: Senate: Washington, D.C. 20510 U.S. House of Representatives: Washington, D.C. 20515 or email via: Senators - http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm House of Representative - http://www.house.gov/writerep or call: US Capitol Switchboard - (202) 224-3121 Laurel Hopwood, Sierra Club Genetic Engineering Committee member http://www.sierraclub.org/biotech/ s'o
