Interesting article by Mark Bittman
- Thread starter ecchef
- Start date
Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:
Johnny.B.Good
Senior Member
I can't say it any better than this commenter on the NYT website:
I am in favor of GMO labeling (strongly). But I'm also a lawyer, and I actually read the bill, and it was deeply flawed.
It contained what I considered to be a poison pill: a provision allowing any person to sue for claimed violations of the law without having to prove any damages, or even that they had ever used the product. That provision was an invitation for trial lawyers to file frivolous lawsuits against food companies for claimed violations of the (vague) labeling provisions, possibly driving many small manufacturers out of business.
Also, because the definitions of what had to be labeled were poorly defined, the law would have led to years of expensive court battles over what should have been labeled, and how.
In short: good idea, but the bill was poorly written. And I know from experience that poorly written legislation leads to bad policy and years of expensive legislation trying to sort out what the legislation means (especially in this lawyer-happy state). Write a better bill, and I'd vote for it. But I'm glad this one didn't pass.
Mark Gabel
San Francisco
I am in favor of GMO labeling (strongly). But I'm also a lawyer, and I actually read the bill, and it was deeply flawed.
It contained what I considered to be a poison pill: a provision allowing any person to sue for claimed violations of the law without having to prove any damages, or even that they had ever used the product. That provision was an invitation for trial lawyers to file frivolous lawsuits against food companies for claimed violations of the (vague) labeling provisions, possibly driving many small manufacturers out of business.
Also, because the definitions of what had to be labeled were poorly defined, the law would have led to years of expensive court battles over what should have been labeled, and how.
In short: good idea, but the bill was poorly written. And I know from experience that poorly written legislation leads to bad policy and years of expensive legislation trying to sort out what the legislation means (especially in this lawyer-happy state). Write a better bill, and I'd vote for it. But I'm glad this one didn't pass.
Mark Gabel
San Francisco
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Pardon my ignorance,but what is the the legit argument for GMO being a health hazard?I know genetic modified rice,making more flood resistant strains has saved many in parts of the world fr. starving fr. failed crops.
I do not know how you can get people to eat & drink less sugar,it is a major health hazard.Maybe a tax on soda would help.I just saw on the news the huge increase in Diabetes in the USA & in Hawaii since 1990.It is caused by diet.All those giant supersize sodas.I have a friend in his 60's,has Diabetes,he is not stupid retired airline pilot.Likes his liter size bottles of Mountain Dew.I tell him drink iced green tea for caffine instead of that crap.He does not like tea,what can you do?
I do not know how you can get people to eat & drink less sugar,it is a major health hazard.Maybe a tax on soda would help.I just saw on the news the huge increase in Diabetes in the USA & in Hawaii since 1990.It is caused by diet.All those giant supersize sodas.I have a friend in his 60's,has Diabetes,he is not stupid retired airline pilot.Likes his liter size bottles of Mountain Dew.I tell him drink iced green tea for caffine instead of that crap.He does not like tea,what can you do?
EdipisReks
Founding Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2011
- Messages
- 4,045
- Reaction score
- 7
couldn't have said it better myself.
