Company/Organization: U.S.PIRG

Description:

The U.S. remains one of only two industrialized countries without mandatory GMO labeling. While some major grocery stores like Whole Foods have committed to label foods containing genetically modified ingredients, labeling GMO foods shouldn’t be the exception, it should be the law.

Goal: Advance a campaign to enact statewide legislation mandating the labeling of genetically modified food (GMOs) and persuade Stop & Shop to agree to label their store-brand products if they contain GMOs.

The internship is open to graduate or undergraduate students, working a minimum of 12 - 15 hours / week during the school year and at least 30 hours / week over the summer for 10 weeks. The internship is unpaid, but arrangements for academic credit can be considered.

Overview of Genetically Engineered Food Labeling:
Despite the explosion of genetically engineered (GE) food, surprisingly little independent scientific research has been conducted in the U.S. to determine its safety. This is due in no small part to the fact that agricultural companies like Monsanto fund and control much of the research into GE seeds in this country. According to The Union of Concerned Scientists, these multi-billion dollar corporations often refuse to allow independent scientists access to seeds or set severe restrictions on research. For example, although Monsanto agreed to give the U.S. Department of Agriculture access to its seeds, their agreement does not cover research into crucial issues such as the health risks of GE crops.

Such risks do exist. For example, it is possible through genetic engineering to transfer an allergen from a known allergenic food such as nuts into a non-allergenic food such as soybeans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is also possible for antibiotic-resistant genes used to make GE food to be transferred into the human body via consumption. In fact, last year the American Medical Association called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct mandatory pre-market safety testing of GE foods after reviewing the relevant scientific literature between 2000 and 2012.

Yet the FDA continues to refrain from independent safety testing of GE products. In fact, the FDA relies on industry data when making its assessments rather than conduct its own safety tests.

The Public has the Right to Know

Given the lack of sufficient independent scientific inquiry into GE food; a federal regulatory system with only voluntary safety assessments for GE products that depend on industry data; the potential for adverse health outcomes related to GE food; and overwhelming consumer demand for labeling of GE food, the public has a right to know if their food is made from or with genetically engineered ingredients.

Internship responsibilities & training. Here’s our approach:

• Interns will work with MASSPIRG’s legislative director and other MASSPIRG advocates and field staff, focusing on both our campaign to pass a state law requiring all GE food be labeled and our campaign to get Stop and Shop to agree to label their store brand products that contain GMOs.

• As a MASSPIRG intern, you’ll take on significant responsibility in our GMO labeling campaigns. Specifically, you will identify supporters and broaden our coalition of GMO labeling supporters and leverage their support into political action. You will lobby members of the legislature and their staff in our effort to win a vote. You will research, write and design campaign material, newsletters and updates. You will reach out to and persuade local Stop and Shop managers to support our effort to get the chief operating officer of Stop and Shop, James McCann, to agree to label Stop & Shop store-brand products.

Interns will develop skills and get experience in advocacy, lobbying, working with the media, organizing citizens, researching and writing, and running both a legislative and corporate campaign.

Qualifications:

• A strong commitment to public interest issues.
• Strong organizational abilities and willing to take initiative.
• The ability to engage others, whether one-on-one or in a group.
• The ability to think strategically.

The internship is open to graduate or undergraduate students, working a minimum of 12 - 15 hours / week during the school year and at least 30 hours / week over the summer for 10 weeks. The internship is unpaid, but arrangements for academic credit can be considered.

Hours:

12-20 a week

Length/Availability:

Through the summer

End Date:

05/31/14,

Tags:

communication  public  relations  advocacy  lobbying  research  writing  campaign 

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