Eric Herm is one of a small group of farmers and environmental advocates pushing for labeling of GMO products in Texas according to a recent article in the Texas Tribune.

The Lubbock farmer initially thought genetically modified cottonseeds were a good alternative.

“I was like, "What’s so bad about this,” he said of the seeds, which are a cheaper way to help crops resist weed and insect damage. “We’re saving money and labor.”

After learning that the “seeds are injected with the genes of herbicides and pesticides,” Herm became critical of the product. “I didn’t want to be consuming that,” he said. “And neither would you.”

Herm is now an advocate for requiring warning labels on consumer products with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. However, the effort is not getting much support from the Republican-dominated state leadership or from major agribusinesses.

Herm says it’s a struggle to get people’s attention. “Where I live, 90 percent of the people were looking at me like I was saying the aliens are coming,” he says.

State Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, is a member of the House Agriculture and Livestock Committee. He says, “I haven’t had a single constituent mention support for GMO labeling to me.” He went on to say even if a measure were introduced, it would face a difficult road in the Legislature.

The rest of the story written by Aamena Ahmed for the Texas Tribune can be found here.