Rep. Tony Hwang & Jerry Greenfield, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, joined together to support CT House Bill 6519 legislation at CT General Assembly’s Public Health Committee hearing.  HB 6519 would require the labeling of genetically engineered foods (GMO) in our food supply.  http://1.usa.gov/Y76Dkv
Rep. Tony Hwang submitted testimony in the public hearing and emphasized that, “We have a fundamental right to know what is in our food so we can make informed choices about what we feed our families.  Consumers may or may not wish to purchase foods that they know to be genetically modified, but they need the information made available to them to make those informed choices.  This bill would require that labels provide that information to consumers and allow the marketplace to decide, not governmental or copyright protection against individual freedom of choice.  By mandating GMO labeling, this bill would give us the transparency that countries like Japan, Australia, Brazil, China and all 15 European Union Countries already enjoy.” http://1.usa.gov/X2oF6A
Jerry Greenfield has been a key ally in efforts to win mandatory labeling of GMOs in his home state of Vermont.  He also delighted legislators and activists with not only his testimony, but also samples of his famous ice cream.  Ben & Jerry recently announced that the company had committed to switching to all non-GMO ingredients in its ice cream products by the end of the year, in order to meet the growing demand by consumers.  Greenfield said, “Increasingly, Americans are demanding openness and transparency in our food supply. Ben & Jerry is proud to stand with the people of CT by supporting mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods.”