If California’s Proposition 37 passes in November, it will have an impact in Massachusetts.
Election Day in November will determine more than who will sit in the Oval Office for the next four years, it also has the potential to set a major precedent to changes in our food system. Among other things, California’s Proposition 37 would require mandatory labeling for genetically modified foods.
Proponents say that there is ample evidence showing that genetically modified (G.M.) foods can be toxic, allergenic, and less nutritious than processed and genetically engineered foods. They believe that everyone has a right to know whether or not their food contains G.M. ingredients. For a deeper look into the evidence, check out a report published this summer by Earth Opensource, which examines the safety of G.M. crops.
It’s clear that the local and organic food movement could be growing faster than the food industry as a whole. The amazing Organic Food Guide’s map reveals farms, restaurants, and markets where we can find local and organic food in Boston and throughout Massachusetts. But despite these food market trends, Michael Pollan points out in his recent New York Times piece that this election will also determine “… whether or not there is a ‘food movement’ in America worthy of the name — that is, an organized force in our politics capable of demanding change in the food system.” Read the rest of the article here
