9 out of 10 Australians want all GE food labelled

According to the survey, when asked if food products from GM crops and animals fed with GM feed should or should not be labelled, 90% of the respondents said it should be labelled. Only 2% of the respondents said they would be more likely to buy a product if they knew it contained GM ingredients, as opposed to 54% who said they would be less likely to buy it.  

Michelle Sheather, Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner said, "It is very clear that Australians want to avoid GM food and want it clearly labelled. However, glaring loopholes in our current labelling laws do not leave shoppers with a choice"

Current laws exempt oils and products from animals fed GM feed from being labelled. GM canola is now being grown in Victoria and New South Wales for the first time. This will slip into the food chain unlabelled, as canola oil which is used in a wide range of products, and as animal feed.

Michael Moore, CEO of Public Health Association of Australia said "It is really difficult to understand why there has been resistance to labelling of all genetically modified food.  It is appropriate for individuals to be able to make their own decisions about what they wish to consume. This is why labelling is a key element of any sensible policy on such foods"

Michelle added, "NSW and Victoria are not using adequate procedures to segregate the GE canola from the conventional crop. This leaves food and feed companies as much in the dark as consumers".

Kyle Prowse, Executive Chef, Sage Restaurant, says, "I think that food should be of the highest quality and that is something I look for in my restaurant. Its our philosophy to 'keep it pure and simple' using the freshest, seasonal produce that is available. I am very concerned about the health of people eating foods that are genetically modified and I worry about the environmental impacts of using GM crops."

Health experts and concerned groups have joined Greenpeace in launching a national petition demanding the comprehensive labelling and stringent safety testing of GM food.

 http://www.truefood.org.au/OurRightToKnow/

They join over 160 of Australia's leading chefs who have demanded tighter labelling laws, and expressed their opposition to serving genetically modified (GM) foods in their restaurants, by endorsing the GM-Free Chefs Charter.

http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/issues/GE/our-work/gm-chefs-charter