Letter to President Obama

In November 2007, while on the campaign trail, then Senator Obama pledged to give Americans the right to know what’s in their food.

The 125 CEOs and business leaders listed below sent the following letter to President Obama asking him to honor his pledge, direct the FDA to require labeling of GMOs and urge Congress to stop the radical DARK Act.

June 23, 2015
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As a candidate, you pledged to give consumers the right to know if their food contains genetically modified ingredients (GMOs). National polls show that nine out of ten Americans share your view. Regardless of age, income, education level or even party affiliation, Americans want the right to know what is in their food and how it was produced – the same right held by citizens in 64 other nations.

As business leaders, we hope that you will fulfill your pledge and direct the FDA to require food companies to label products that contain GMOs.

However, we are concerned that Congress has introduced H.R. 1599 – GMO legislation which we refer to as the “Denying Americans the Right to Know” or DARK Act. If enacted, the DARK Act would limit the FDA’s ability to create a national GMO labeling system, weaken our broken voluntary labeling system, and block state initiatives to give citizens this basic information about their food.

Mr. President, your White House has been a beacon of leadership on the importance of food choices for all Americans. We urge you to fulfill your commitment to require GMO labeling, and we implore you to let Congress know that you will veto the DARK Act if it is presented to you. Standing up for the right of consumers to know what is in their food and make their own choices was the right stance in 2007 and it is the right stance today.

Sincerely,

Andrew Abraham, Founder and CEO, Orgain Inc. CA
Jessica Alba, Founder, The Honest Company, CA
José Andrés, Chef and Founder, Think Food Group, DC
Summer Auerbach, Second Generation Owner, Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Markets, KY
Dan Barber, Chef/Co-Owner, Stone Barns at Blue Hill, NY
Brandon Barnholt, President and CEO, KeHE Distributors LLC, CO
Fedele Bauccio, CEO, Bon Appétit Management, CA
Rick Bayless, Chef/Owner, Frontera Grill, IL
Andy and Rachel Berliner, Co-founders, Amy’s Kitchen, CA
Trudy Bialic, Director, Public Affairs, PCC Natural Markets, WA
Mitch Blumenthal, Founder, Global Organic Specialty Source, FL
Marco Borges, CEO, 22 Days Nutrition, FL
Doug Brent, CEO, Made in Nature LLC, CO
Clifford Brett Jr., CEO/Owner, Kimberton Whole Foods, PA
Peter and Janie Brodhead, Owners, Brighter Day Natural Foods Market, GA
David Bronner, CEO, Dr. Bronner’s Inc., CA
Michael Bronner, Founder and Chairman, UNREAL Inc., MA
Jonas Buehl, Owner, The Crunchy Grocer, CO
Jon Cadoux, Founder/CEO, Peak Organic Brewing Co., ME
Yvonne Chamberlain, Owner, The Market @ Tree of Life Center, TN
Kevin Cleary, CEO, Clif Bar Inc., CA
Morty Cohen, CEO, Falcon Trading Company, CA
Tom Colicchio, CEO, Craft Hospitality, NY
Kerry Collins, CEO, Applegate Inc., NJ
Nicole Dawes, President, COO, Late July Organics, MA
Joel Dee, President, Edward & Sons Trading Company, CA
Valerie Deptula, President, The Good Earth Natural Foods Co., MD
Steve Diakowsky, President and CEO, Taste of Nature Foods Inc., CA
Norman Dill, Owner/President, Rebecca’s Natural Food, VA
Adnan Durrani, CEO, Saffron Road Inc., CT
Steve Ells, Chairman and CEO, Chipotle, CO
Shane Emmett, CEO, Health Warrior, VA
Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, Co-Owners, Clif Bar Inc., CA
Susie Farbin, Co-Owner, Mama Jean’s Natural Market, MO
Jerry Farrell, Owner/President, Rising Tide Natural Market, NY
Mark Fergusson, Chief Executive Officer, Down to Earth Organic & Natural, HI
Mike Ferry, President, Horizon Organic, CO
John Foraker, CEO, Annie’s Inc., CA
Leonard Freeke, CEO and Founder, The Veri Soda Company, NY
Michael Funk, Co-Founder and Chairman, UNFI Inc., RI
Robert Gerner, President, The Natural Grocery Company, CA
Diane Gibb-Lahodny, Owner, Campbell’s Nutrition, IA
Neal Gottlieb, CEO, Three Twins Ice Cream, CA
Gail Graham, General Manager, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Coop, MN
Jerry Greenfield, Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry’s Inc., VT
Hitesh Hajarnavis, Founder, esSVee, Life, NJ
Kristi Harwell, Owner/CEO, New Leaf Community Market, CA
Ben Henderson, Owner, Bare Essentials Natural Market, NC
Belinda Higuera, CEO, Berryvale Grocery, CA
Gary Hirshberg, Chairman, Stonyfield Farm Inc., NH
Roland Hoch, Vice President, Global Organics Ltd., MA
Janie Hoffman, CEO and Founder, Mamma Chia, CA
Stephanie Hong, CEO, Real Food Company, CA
Steve Hughes, Founder and CEO, Boulder Brands Inc., CO
Cheryl Hughes, Owner, The Whole Wheatery, CA
Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder, Sweetgreen Inc., DC
Mindee Jeffery, Product & Standards Analyst, Good Earth Natural Foods, CA
Blair Kellison, CEO, Traditional Medicinals, CA
Rosanne Kiely, Owner, West Village Market & Deli, NC
Ashley Koff, CEO, Ashley Koff RD LLC, DC
Jesse LaFlamme, CEO, Pete and Jerrys Organic Eggs, NH
Donna Layburn, President, Alameda Natural Grocery, CA
Lanis LeBaron, Owner, Lupines Natural Foods, CA
David Levine, Cofounder and CEO, American Sustainable Business Council, DC
Grant Lundberg, CEO, Lundberg Family Farms Inc., CA
Susan and Maury Lyon, Owners, Cornucopia Natural Food & Fine Cheese, IL
Rose Marcario, CEO, Patagonia Inc., CA
Scott McGinty, President, Aurora Organic Dairy, CO
Matt McLean, Founder and CEO, Uncle Matt’s Organic, FL
Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group, NY
Paku Misra, Owner/CEO, Sunflower Natural Foods Market, NY
Sam Mogannam, Founder and President Bi-Rite Market, CA
Marie Montemurro, Owner, Lovey’s Natural Foods and Café, NC
Rod Moyer, Co-founder, Beverage Innovations Group, FL
Dean Nelson, President, Dean’s Natural Food Markets, NJ
Nell Newman, Co-Founder, Newman’s Own Organics, CT
Ted Niehaus, Owner/CEO, Naturally Organic, IL
Michel Nischan, President/CEO, Wholesome Wave, CT
Bu Nygrens, Co-Founder and Director of Purchasing, Veritable Vegetable, CA
Doug Obenhaus, Grocery Manager, Royal River Natural Foods, ME
Gwyneth Paltrow, Founder and CCO, goop.com, CA
Nick Pascoe, Owner/President, Bear Foods Natural Market & Café-Creperie, WA
John Pittari Jr., President, Proprietor, New Morning Market, CT
Mark Polson, Owner/CEO, Polson’s Natural Foods, IL
Michael Potter, Chairman and President, Eden Foods, MI
Angela Reusing, Chef-Owner, Lantern, NC
Douglas Riboud, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Harmless Harvest, CA
Evan Richards, Founder, Rejuvenative Foods, CA
Walter Robb, Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market, TX
Maria Rodale, CEO, Rodale Press, PA
Edouard Rollet, Co-Founder, Alter Eco Foods, CA
Layne Rolston, Communications Director, Good Food Store, MT
Scott Roseman, Founder and CEO, New Leaf Community Markets, CA
Bob Scaman, President, Goodness Greeness, IL
Mark Schoninger, Owner, Bath Natural Market, ME
Erin Schrode, Co-Founder and Spokeswoman, Turning Green, CA
Mathieu Senard, Co-Founder, Alter Eco Foods, CA
Ron Shaich, CEO, Panera Bread Inc., MA
Alan Shepherd, Owner, Rocket Market, WA
Corinne Shindelar, CEO, Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, MN
Ron Sjoquist, General Manager, Good Harvest Market, WI
Robynn Shrader, CEO, National Co+op Grocers, IA
Craig Sieben, President, Seiben Energy Associates, IL
George Siemon, CEO Organic Valley, WI
Irwin D. Simon, Founder, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hain Celestial Group Inc., NY
Jim Slama, President, Family Farmed, IL
Joel Solomon, CEO, Joel Solomon Company, TN
Jimbo Sombeck, President, Jimbo’s Naturally, CA
Tom Spier, CEO, Boulder Food Group, CO
Steve Spinner, CEO, United Natural Foods Inc., RI
Mark Squire, President and CEO, Good Earth Natural Foods, CA
Adam and Debra Stark, Owners, Debra’s Natural Gourmet, MA
Arran Stephens, Co-founder and CEO, Nature’s Path Foods, WA
Bobby Sullivan, General Manager, French Broad Food Co-op, NC
Kelly Swette, CEO, Sweet Earth Natural Foods, CA
Sam Talbot, Founding Executive Chef, The Surf Lodge, NY
Shazi Visram, Founder/CEO, Happy Family Brands, NY
Dennis Wagner, President, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative Inc., CA
Laughing Water, Owner, Real Food Market & Deli, MT
Bill Weiland, President and CEO, Presence Marketing, IL
Cindy Weinfurter, Owner, The Free Market, WI
Tim Westwell, CEO, Pukka Herbs Inc., DE
Bill Whyte, CEO and Founder, W.S. Badger Inc., NH
Stephen Williamson, CEO, Forager Inc., CA
John Wood II, Owner, The Green Grocer, RI
Alex Young, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, MI