Not In My Food

CU praises the new restrictions on animal feed announced by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CONSUMERS UNION SAYS NEW FDA RESTRICTIONS ON ANIMAL FEED ARE AN IMPORTANT STEP, BUT ADDITIONAL MEASURES NEEDED January 26, 2004—Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports praises the new restrictions on animal feed announced today by the US Food Continue Reading

Consumers Union has endorsed legislation to take “downed” animals out of the food supply as a measure to protect against mad cow disease. For Immediate Release January 21, 2004 STATEMENT OF ADAM GOLDBERG, POLICY ANALYST, CONSUMERS UNION, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF THE DOWNED ANIMAL PROTECTION ACT I would like to thank Representative Continue Reading

The Senate today voted against closing off debate on the $820 billion omnibus spending bill that funds government operations for the remainder of the fiscal year. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 20, 2004 Contact: Chris Murray (Media Ownership) or Adam Goldberg (Meat Labeling) (202) 462-6262 SENATE VOTES AGAINST PORK-LADEN SPENDING BILL THAT FAILS CONSUMERS ON MEAT Continue Reading

CU is providing consumers with important information about which meat labels can and cannot help consumers wanting to reduce their the risk from mad cow disease. For Immediate Release December 31, 2003 Contact: Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D. Director, Eco-labels.org, 646-594-0212 CONSUMERS UNION OFFERS ADVICE ON MEAT LABELS THAT DO AND DON’T HELP REDUCE RISK OF EXPOSURE Continue Reading

CU praised the FDA on Tuesday for taking action to ban dietary supplements containing ephedra. For Immediate Release December 30, 2003 Contact: Joan Eve Quinn 914-378-2436 CONSUMERS UNION PRAISES FDA MOVE TO BAN EPHEDRA —Badly Needed Ban is Long Overdue; Stronger Federal Oversight of Unsafe Supplements Urged; Consumers Should Avoid All Weight-Loss and Energy-Boosting Supplements, Continue Reading

In the January CR, “Cut the Fat” informs readers that many American farms are churning out an overabundance of food, especially the foods that put on the pounds, making it easier than ever for people to overindulge and gain weight. December 8, 2003 CONTACT: Joan Eve Quinn (914) 378-2436 or Alberto G. Rojas (914) 378-2434 Continue Reading

Education and information campaigns have not been effective in past at preventing injuries. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2003 Contact: Sally Greenberg, 202-462-6262 CONSUMERS UNION OPPOSES DAISY AIR GUN SETTLEMENTEducation and Information Campaigns HaveNot Been Effective in Past at Preventing Injuries (Washington, D.C.) — After reviewing the terms of the Daisy Powerline Air Gun settlement Continue Reading

New guidelines expected to save thousands of lives each year. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 5, 2003 Contact: Sally Greenberg, 202.462.6262 Consumers Union Supports Bill Requiring Fire Safety Standards forFurniture, Mattresses and CandlesNew Guidelines Expected to Save Thousands of Lives Each Year (Washington, DC) – Consumers Union is supporting legislation that will set fire safety standards for Continue Reading

CU has filed a motion to strike Sharper Image’s product disparagement lawsuit under a California statute that protects against lawsuits designed to chill constitutional rights, particularly the right to free speech. For Immediate Release CONTACT: At Cotchett, Pitre, Simon and McCarthy Elizabeth Pritzker or Steven Williams, (650) 697-6000 At Consumers Union Gene Lomoriello, (914) 378-2417 Continue Reading

CU Research Associate Michael Hansen to testify regarding safety of cloned food animals at US Food and Drug Administration hearing Tuesday, November 4, 2003. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2003 MEDIA ADVISORY: CONSUMERS UNION EXPERT AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS SAFETY OF CLONED FOOD ANIMALS CU Research Associate Michael Hansen to testify at US Food and Continue Reading

Consumers Union commended members of the Senate who had the courage today to stand up to powerful corporate interests and vote to preserve the right of state courts to hear class action cases. Read more October 22, 2003Contact: Sally Greenberg, 202-462-6262 CONSUMERS UNION LAUDS SENATE VOTE ON CLASS ACTIONSenators Reject Anti-Consumer Measure Limiting Right to Continue Reading

CU urges the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to release detailed test information to the public so that consumers can discriminate between different models and make smarter and safer car-buying decisions CU Media Advisory NHTSA New Car Assessment Rollover Resistance Policy (pdf 1.1MB) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 7, 2003 Consumers Union Supports the National Continue Reading

Last year four children were strangled by power windows in cars that did not have lever-type switches or auto-reverse sensors to stop them from closing when they hit an obstacle such as an arm or neck, according to Kids and Cars, a nonprofit safety organization. MEDIA ADVISORY Consumers Union Experts Available to Discuss Dangers Posed Continue Reading

American consumers are finding safety systems — such as smart airbags, vehicle stability control and anti-rollover systems — to be more important than they were five years ago, according to a consumer research study. (Release from TRW) American Consumers Placing More Importance in Auto Safety Systems, According to TRW Automotive Survey TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. Continue Reading

CU and Kids ‘n Cars are working on proposed federal legislation to prevent injury and death to children left unattended in and around cars and light trucks. Contacts: Sally Greenberg, Consumers Union, 202-462-6262 Janette Fennell, KIDS ‘N CARS, 415-789-1000 PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO PREVENT INJURY AND DEATH TO CHILDREN LEFT UNATTENDED IN AND AROUND CARS Continue Reading

CR bought more than 500 packages of meat in 60 cities for the largest retail test of its kind to check claims made by meat retailers about irradiated meats. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 2003 CONTACT: Joan Eve Quinn (914) 378-2436 or Lauren Hackett (914) 378-2561 CONSUMER REPORTS CONDUCTS LARGEST TEST OF ITS KIND TO Continue Reading