A statement about GMOs from U.S. Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva, representing Arizona’s 3rd district

This statement was read before the premiere showing of the GMO-related suspenseful thriller Consumed at The Loft Cinema in Tucson on April 12, 2016.

Thank you for holding this important event to bring to light some very disturbing realities around Genetically Modified Organisms.

Genetically Modified Organisms raise significant concerns right here in Arizona and around the United States.  An escalating reliance on GMOs has coincided with increased use of toxic chemicals in farming, threatening the integrity of our environment and our food, and posing growing risks to farm workers.

Agriculture Giants have become notorious for monopolizing the farming industry.  And when their GMO seeds inevitably drift and contaminate their neighbors’ property, in a bizarre twist of justice, they sue for patent infringement. And we see, once again, the largest corporations in this country believing they should play by a different set of rules than everyone else.

Meanwhile, the modification of plants has led to weeds and insects becoming increasingly immune to pesticides over time. This is causing the world to face the challenge of superweeds that require even stronger chemicals to combat their spread.  And the vicious cycle of GMOs deepen as more toxic chemicals, some of which are linked to cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and reproductive health issues, are used on the plants.

I appreciate you highlighting these pressing issues and exposing both the uncertainties and growing concerns around Genetically Modified Organisms.

The commodification of nature has profound impacts we cannot ignore.

The American people are increasingly aware of the threats GMOs pose, thanks to films like Consumed and events like this one. Polls show that 90% of Americans want GMOs to be labeled now, just like 64 other major nations around the globe. Vermont is set to become the first state to require labeling this July, and we must keep the pressure up so that every Arizonan knows exactly what is going into their food and their body too. That’s why tonight is such an important and informative event, and I want to thank the filmmakers, Loft Cinema, and the organizers and speakers for making it happen.

– Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ)

*This April 12th Tucson screening of Consumed was co-sponsored by Going Against GMOs author Melissa Diane Smith, Food Conspiracy Co-op, High Energy Agriculture, and The Loft Cinema, and it included a post-film discussion featuring Melissa Diane Smith, farmer Anne Loftfield of High Energy Agriculture, and Renee Kreager, owner of Renee’s Organic Oven.