By Cameron St. Germain
Social media has been known to be both engaging and addictive, a platform for many different purposes. However, it can also be utilized to push a particular agenda, creating a palpable impact on policy change.
Social media is found throughout the globe, from the first to third world, reaching a large population of individuals with vastly different viewpoints, thereby making it an ideal form of communication for reaching the masses. This classification of media allows individuals to share their opinion on an issue right after having an emotional response, creating immediate engagement with the topic at hand.
The New York City Food Policy Center at Hunter College has compiled a series covering what tweets are saying about the latest food policy debates. This week we examine GMOs and the debate over whether or not food containing GMOs should be labeled as such. Stay tuned weekly to see how social media is being used to express opinions on a number of key food policy topics.
Tweet: “Using a QR code to find #GMO ingredients is kind of like catching a Pokemon, but a lot less fun #justlabelit”
Who Said It: Representative Chellie Pingree, (D-Maine) and organic farmer
Twitter Handle: @chelliepingree
Date: July 14th, 2016
Tweet: “Shining light on industry shenanigans is key to transforming food system >> #RighttoKnow Review by @USRightToKnow: https://bit.ly/2a0h2uu ”
Who Said It: Anna Lappé, Author and sustainable food advocate
Twitter Handle: @annalappe
Date: July 20th, 2016
Tweet: “Dear @Potus: Support public interest over corporate profit, VETO the deeply flawed #GMO Labeling bill. #NODARKACT”
Who Said It: Dr. Bronner’s, a company who sells their products with the intention of making a sustainable and positive social change in the world.
Twitter Handle: @DrBronner
Date: July 15th, 2016
Tweet: “Mars, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and North American Meat Institute support the anti-GMO bill. Consumers aren’t the priority here.”
Who Said It: Senator Bernie Sanders, (D-Vermont)
Twitter Handle: @SenSanders
Date: July 5th, 2016
Tweet: “We may have just become the first country in the world to UNLABEL #GMOs”
Who Said It: U.S. Right To Know, a non-profit working towards transparency and accountability in the nation’s food system
Twitter Handle: @USRightToKnow
Date: July 8th, 2016
Tweet: “With approved GMO labeling bill, I will be able to select and buy all GMO foods that benefit humanity and our environment 🙂 #gmo are great”
Who Said It: Kurt Boudonck, Greenhouse Crop Research Group Leader
Twitter Handle: @kboudonck
Date: July 14th, 2016
Tweet: “@BarackObama VETO sham GMO “labeling” bill on your desk! People have a right to know what’s in their food! #sayfie”
Who Said It: Representative Vern Buchanan, (R-Florida)
Twitter Handle: @VernBuchanan
Date: July 21st, 2016
Tweet: “U.S. House passes DARK Act 306-117 to kill #GMO labeling, a major insult to the 89% of Americans who support labeling & the right to know.”
Who Said It: Gary Ruskin, Co-director of U.S. Right to Know
Twitter Handle: @garyruskin
Date: July 14th, 2016
Tweet:“Consumers do not want QR codes to replace clear mandatory, FDA GMO labeling. #justlabelit #food”
Who Said It: Just Label It, a campaign advocating for the labeling of GMO foods
Twitter Handle: @justlabelit
Date: July 16th, 2016
Tweet: “Join @RevJJackson to call on @POTUS to reject discriminatory #GMOlabeling bill: https://bit.ly/29VAOGu #DARKAct”
Who Said It: Center 4 Food Safety, a non-profit promoting the use of organic and other sustainable forms of agriculture
Twitter Handle: @CFSTrueFood
Date: July 17th, 2016
Tweet: “When things get dark, it’s crucial to document how dark things really are. https://bit.ly/2a0h2uu #DarkAct #GMOs We have a #RighttoKnow”
Who Said It: U.S. Right To Know, a non-profit working towards transparency and accountability in the nation’s food system
Twitter Handle: @USRightToKnow
Date: July 20, 2016
Tweet: “.@SenFranken reject the #DARKAct. Stand up for transparency and REAL GMO labeling. Vote NO! “
Who Said It: Food & Water Watch, a non-profit working towards getting healthy food and clean water to all
Twitter Handle: @foodandwater
Date: July 2nd, 2016
Tweet: “Senate’s #GMO bill vote is a well-funded travesty, a setback for consumers’ right to know. They deserve clear labels, not scavenger hunts.”
Who Said It: Senator Patrick Leahy, (D-Vermont)
Twitter Handle: @SenatorLeahy
Date: July 7, 2016
Tweet: “The House just passed Stabenow/Johnson/Monsanto’s DARK Act that would blow up Vermont’s GMO labeling law.Tell POTUS to veto! 202-456-1111”
Who Said It: Thom Hartmann, radio talk show host, author, writer and international speaker
Twitter Handle: @Thom_Hartmann
Date: July 13th, 2016
