Gwyneth Paltrow went to Washington on Wednesday to fight for what's on your plate.
The actress, GOOP founder and famed conscious uncoupler spoke on Capitol Hill, pushing for mandatory labeling of foods made with genetically modified ingredients or GMOs.
"Much the way that I want to know if my food is farm-raised or wild, or if my orange juice is fresh or from concentrate, I believe that we also have the right...as Americans to know what’s in our food," said Paltrow.
'I'm not here as an expert, I'm here as a mother,' @GwynethPaltrow tells press before pitch for GMO labeling pic.twitter.com/4o0msbdYXy— Jenny Hopkinson (@JennyHops) August 5, 2015
Paltrow’s appearance on Capitol Hill comes weeks after lawmakers passed legislation saying that states can't require food labels to indicate whether or not GMOs are included. She was escorted by Sens. John Tester, D-Mt.; Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.; Patrick Leahy D-Vt. and Richard Blumenthal, D-Ct. The senators are pushing a bill, sponsored by Boxer, which would require labels for all foods produced using GMOs and ban manufacturers from labeling GMO foods as natural. Apparently, they also wanted a couple selfies.
Great to have @GwynethPaltrow & Blythe Danner lend their voices & support for requiring GMO labeling on our foods. https://t.co/Mcy4ik7cfY— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) August 5, 2015
So far, just one state -- Vermont -- is set to require mandatory labeling. That state’s law is supposed to take effect in July of next year. Connecticut and Maine have passed similar laws but they won’t take effect unless neighboring states do the same.
The food industry, which has fought mandatory labeling efforts in individual states, say that GMOs are safe and that labels could be misleading. The industry has also argued that a plethora of inconsistent laws across the country could become onerous and expensive for companies and also expensive for consumers.
Those who back mandatory labeling, like Paltrow, say people have a right to know what’s in their food.
"The science is still inconclusive about GMOs and there are arguments that they could possibly be harmful and they could be possibly be incredibly beneficial and drought-resistant and have extra nutrition,” Paltrow said Wednesday. "But at this point we just don’t know." Still, she said, “we would just love this information. We think it’s important as consumers and as mothers."
Paltrow, who appeared on behalf of the Just Label It! campaign, says the group hopes to have half a million signatures on a petition against the House bill before lawmakers return from summer recess.
The petition argues that the legislation would "deny Americans the right to know whether their food contains genetically modified food ingredients."
I am joining @JustLabelIt in DC to fight for mandatory GMO labeling. Stop the DARK act by signing this petition: http://t.co/BerYb9QeXv— Gwyneth Paltrow (@GwynethPaltrow) July 29, 2015
While Paltrow is certainly a recognizable face in front of the mandatory labeling cause, she’s also a controversial one.
Claire Parker, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, slammed Paltrow as an "out-of-touch Hollywood celebrity" in a statement reported inThe Hill newspaper.
"We are confident that the Senate will stand with science and American families rather than the extreme agendas of Hollywood elites and that common sense and scientific consensus will win out over media spectacle," Parker said.