Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 10 in opposition to legislation that would prohibit states from enacting labeling requirements for genetically engineered foods.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

By Martin Donohoe and Ray Seidler

In 1997, the European Union began requiring that genetically engineered foods be labeled, so consumers could make informed decisions about what food they bought. American food companies and agribusiness giants did not stop selling their products in those countries as a result. They did not raise prices. And they did not claim that the European public was too dim-witted to understand what the labels meant, and that they therefore would be deceived or confused by them.

Rather, just the opposite. Monsanto, one of the biggest producers of genetically engineered foods, ran ads in the United Kingdom praising the labels for providing consumers with important information. The ads stated, "Monsanto fully supports UK food manufacturers and retailers in their introduction of these labels. We believe you should be aware of all the facts before making a purchase."

As experts on the impacts of genetically engineered foods, we couldn't agree more. People have a right to know what is in the food they eat, or if it is engineered in a lab. And that basic fact applies to Oregonians just as much as it applies to people in the 64 countries (comprising nearly a third of the world's population) around the globe – including most of Europe, Australia and Japan – that have already implemented such labeling laws without any difficulty or increase in the cost of food.

On July 2 our Oregon Right to Know coalition turned in over 156,000 signatures – nearly double the required number – to get the genetically engineered food labeling initiative on the ballot this November.

This initiative aligns neatly with our Oregon values and our environmental, ethical and health concerns about genetically engineered foods. As a scientist and medical professional, we recognize that giving people more information about the products they consume doesn't lead to confusion. It empowers them to have greater control over their lives.

The evidence of serious negative environmental impacts from genetically engineered crops is mounting rapidly. Since these crops were first introduced in the mid-1990s, over 200 contamination events have been reported, costing U.S. farmers billions of dollars. Almost all genetically engineered foods have been engineered for one single purpose: to tolerate higher levels of herbicides. This has led to huge increase in the use of herbicides like Roundup (manufactured by Monsanto), which in turn is leading to the spread of Roundup-tolerant superweeds.

To combat superweeds farmers are forced to use more toxic herbicides, sprayed on plants that are now being engineered to also be resistant to those herbicides (e.g., Dow Agribusiness' 2,4-D, a component of Agent Orange.) This creates a vicious cycle resulting in higher usage of ever more toxic herbicides, leading to the evolution of more resistant superweeds.

There's reason to be concerned about the potential long-term health consequences of consuming GMOs, and higher herbicide/pesticide use is associated with cancer, neurological diseases and developmental disorders. The many Oregonians who care strongly about protecting our health and environment have a right to decide for themselves whether they want to buy foods in the supermarket that are associated with serious health and ecological harm. The profits of Monsanto and other big manufacturers of pesticide- and herbicide-friendly crops should not take precedence over our legitimate desire to live sustainably and not further harm our planet.

This initiative is about sound, mainstream science and the right we have to know what is in the food we eat and feed our families. That is why we are proud to stand with Oregon Right to Know and the 156,390 Oregonians who signed the petition to get this initiative on the ballot. And it is why we believe Oregonians will join us in voting this November to label genetically engineered foods.

Martin Donohoe, MD, is a Portland internist and serves on the board of advisers for Physicians for Social Responsibility. Ray Seidler, PhD, is a retired senior scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency who studied the impacts of genetically engineered foods while at the agency.