Local Hero Voluntarily Labels GMO Ingredients

Press Release 23mar02

JIM HOLLAND, retail owner of ECO-WISE, has volunteered to label his products that are genetically engineered (GE) and non-genetically engineered (non-GE). He is the first and only retailer in Austin (and Texas and possibly the US) to voluntarily label GE products.

Customers told Jim about the web site www.labelthis.org  where consumers can learn how to voluntarily label store products. Jim chose to label his own products, to educate his customers and himself.

Most of the products in the store are organic and therefore non-GE. Jim hopes that by labeling products that do contain GE ingredients, consumers will contact the manufacturer about their health and environmental concerns.

Grown since 1996, GE plants are not independently tested for human health and environmental risks by US regulatory agencies and no labeling is required.

FDA rules do allow for voluntary labeling of GE ingredients.

The following is a list of GE crops approved by the FDA. (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists ) Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a GE ingredient that is government approved and unlabeled in milk products.

Many foods and non-food products contain these GE ingredients. If you eat foods or buy products that are not organic and contain these ingredients, you may be unknowingly using GE products. Labeling is the only way for consumers to have a choice.

Corn Canola Cotton Soybean Tomato Tomato (cherry) Potato Squash (yellow) Chicory (radicchio) Sugarbeet Papaya Flax rBGH

Jim is concerned about possible environmental and health risks associated with GE crops. Education is the key to informed decision making. Jim chooses to support organic and non-GE farmers.

Other Austin area stores were invited to participate in voluntary labeling of their products but none accepted. Eco-Wise hopes other local retailers, restaurants and grocers will join in this important labeling effort.

NOTE: Eco-Wise is not a supermarket although they do sell a few snack bars, drinks and the like. There are other soy/corn/canola/cotton-based products in the store that need labels though - for example, clothing, personal care, and milk- based paint.

Say No To GMOs! =20 "Grassroots education, activities and resources in Texas=20 for consumer choice and a genetically viable future" www.saynotogmos.org

For immediate release, March 17, 2002 Contact: Lyndon Felps: phone 448-0717, email dillohour@yahoo.com  Press Conference: March 23, 2002, 10:30am, Eco-Wise, 110 West Elizabeth St., Austin, Texas phone 326-4474 www.ecowise.com