Dr. Bronner's Ramps Up Support for Ballot Initiatives to Label Genetically Engineered Foods in Oregon and Colorado

VISTA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Bronner's, family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America, is ramping up efforts in support of voter-led initiatives to label genetically engineered foods in Oregon and Colorado, Measure 92 and Initiative 105, respectively. The company has donated $1 million to Oregon and $25,000 to Colorado, and re-worked its iconic quart soap labels this fall to educate consumers across the country about the importance of labeling genetically engineered foods.  

In addition, company president David Bronner has published an article in the Huffington Post: "Herbicide and Insecticide Use on GMO Crops Skyrocketing while Pro-GMO Media Runs Interference; Former EPA Senior Scientist's New Article Sets Record Straight," which reviews Dr. Ramon J. Seidler's well-researched article, "Pesticide Use on Genetically Engineered Crops," in Environmental Working Group's online AgMag.  Bronner's article begins:

Michael Specter's recent articles bashing Vandana Shiva and the labeling of genetically engineered foods (Seeds of Doubt and The Problem with G.M.O. Labels, 8/25/14) in the New Yorker are the latest high-profile pro-GMO articles that fail to engage with the fundamental critique of genetically engineered food crops in US soil today: rather than reduce pesticide inputs GMOs are causing them to skyrocket in amount and toxicity… Dr. Seidler's article cites and links recent scientific literature and media reports, and should be required reading for all journalists covering GMOs, as well as for citizens generally to understand why their right to know if food is genetically engineered is so important.

To read David's article, published on Huffington Post, visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-bronner/herbicide-insecticide-use_b_5791304.html

To read Dr. Ramon J. Seidler's article, published by Environmental Working Group, visit: http://static.ewg.org/agmag/pdfs/pesticide_use_on_genetically_engineered_crops.pdf

"Genetic engineering of food crops is a pesticide industry boondoggle. Rather than help farmers move to more sustainable, less chemical intensive agriculture, genetic engineering has resulted in huge increases in pesticide use contaminating our food and water and killing bees, birds and other non-target wildlife," says David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's.  "Chemical companies genetically engineer DNA from bacteria into food crops to either produce or tolerate the pesticides they sell in over 99% of GMO acreage in the US.  Overuse of pesticide is creating resistant superweeds and superbugs, which leads to more volume of more toxic pesticides sprayed. Now chemical companies are engineering resistance in food crops to much more toxic weed killers like Dicamba and 2,4-D.  Americans need to wake up to the secret changes chemical companies are making to our food and demand transparency in food labeling."

In Oregon and nationally, natural product stores will stock a limited edition castile liquid soap with the GMO-info label, boasting support for Yes on 92, and another special label will be distributed throughout Colorado and rocky mountain states in support of Initiative 105, from September through November of 2014. Images of the special 'GMO Info' labels are available on the Dr. Bronner's website: http://bit.ly/ZmPTtg.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps' commitment to healthy and sustainable agriculture, corporate accountability, and consumers' right to know is part of the company's mission to put into practice the social and ecological principles that inform Dr. Bronner's philosophy printed on the company's iconic soap labels.

For further information on Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, please visit the website: http://www.drbronner.com.

SOURCE Dr. Bronner’s