By Denise Nanni and Milena
Rampoldi, ProMosaik. Food Safety is another important issue at the interface
between environment and human rights. We talked to Claire Jordan, Policy and Program
Coordinator at the Center for Food Safety.  We have to struggle for healthy and just food.
The corrupt food system is part of the global injustice we have to oppose to.

What are the main issues
related to food safety?
The main issues that we work on at Center for Food Safety focus on
promoting a sustainable, just and secure food future for all. In particular, we
work against the devastating impacts of a pesticide-intensive industrial
agriculture system. This system promotes contamination of air, land and water
from dangerous pesticides; exposes our communities and our food to toxic
chemicals; threatens global seed diversity (which is essential to maintain in
order to preserve our food system in the face of a changing climate); and
encourages unsanitary and unethical food animal welfare standards that lead to
the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections, compromising public health.


Can you explain us the
short-term and long-term effects of GMO usage?
The widespread planting of GMO crops puts at risk the livelihoods of
independent farmers; threatens our diverse global seed supply; and provides increased
incentives to make agriculture more pesticide-intensive and
pesticide-dependent. A food system that relies on GMO crops in turn relies on
the pesticides and chemicals that are manufactured side-by-side with those
crops by the same big agrochemical companies to make them grow. This wreaks
havoc on public health, small and family farmers, and the environment, and threatens
our ability to adapt our food supply in a changing climate. 
Pollen from GMO crops is easily carried by the wind, bees and wildlife,
and has the potential to contaminate neighboring farms, gardens, and
pastures. Many farmers depend on contracts they have to provide food
manufacturers with organic and/or non-GMO crops, such as corn for use in
organic and products labeled by the Non-GMO Project. If those products are
tested and found to contain GMOs, those farmers lose their contracts.
Because of GMO crops, more than 100 million more pounds of Roundup are
used on America’s croplands each year. So for Monsanto and other chemical
companies, genetically engineering crops is just another way to significantly
increase profits. They sell the seeds and the poisons sprayed on those seeds. GE
crops significantly increase the use of toxic herbicides while not increasing
yield, so they help poison the world’s food supply but do not increase it. These
toxic chemicals pollute our water and air, and kill wildlife and native plants.
In 2015 the World Health Organization’s research arm found that the active
ingredient in Roundup is a “probable carcinogen.”

How do you advocate
community empowerment?
We work at the local and state levels to engage members and farmers, and
advocate with them on their behalf. We educate people about issues affecting
them – like contamination, pesticide drift, pollution from CAFOs, etc. – and
help them to be a part of the solution. We provide opportunities and tools to
reach out to legislators, sponsor and deliver citizen-signed petitions, and
create platforms for members to speak out about the social injustices of a
corrupt food system.
We encourage our members to be active participants in this fight for a
just and healthy food system by providing the information and tools needed to
engage in their own communities and contact their legislators. Some of these
tools include blogs, press releases, and reports that verify all of our claims
and through the use of research, back up our facts. Because we are a national
organization, we encourage our members not only to participate in our actions,
but to form their own amongst their community members.


How important are civil
society capacity building and media coverage in your activity?
Civil society capacity building is the foundation of our food movement.
A successful food movement that brings about much needed change in our food
system must be built by the people for the people. We would not be an
organization without the input and support from our members, and it is
imperative to us that we are transparent with all of our work. We want this
food movement to be a diverse and inclusive movement that advocates for
everyone impacted and puts the health of people and the planet at the forefront.
Without the engagement and participation of civil society, our attempts would
be thwarted.
Media coverage is, of course, also a very important component for the
success of any issue-based organization. We cannot be advocates without being
educators, and realizing those educational goals depends on reaching broad and
diverse public audiences with our scientific findings, policy analyses, and
reports, and the messages that they carry. Whether we are trying to elevate the
voices and concerns of our members, share new information with the public,
compel political leaders to take action, or make progress in a campaign, media
coverage is crucial – that includes traditional outlets, and blogging, social
and digital media outreach as well.


Do you cooperate with
local authorities and institutions? If yes, how?

Yes, we frequently cooperate with local authorities and institutions.
We often work with scientists at academic and research institutions when we are
analyzing and drafting policy recommendations and writing and producing
reports. We also collaborate and strategize with local organizations where our
various campaigns and offices are located to enhance our impact and ensure that
local organizers are at the forefront of these movements. We ensure that local
groups are consulted when relevant for our various forms of work.