The news in Chicago the last few days has been about the hundreds of millions of dollars in lame duck Republican Gov. George Ryan's budget cuts that will have a major impact on Illinois' most vulnerable citizens. Personally, I have been on the phone for two days trying to stop the budget cuts for home care services that I have fought so vigorously for in the last ten years but only have benefited for the last year. These cuts will affect the disabled, seniors, and the mentally ill. I can no longer survive without home health care as many in the epidemic do not have much of a support system. If anyone has any ideas or influence on this matter, please let me know. Thanks, AW

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The International Food Information Council (IFIC) has conducted a consumer survey that reported most Americans (61%) believe and can state how biotechnology will benefit them or their families in the next five years. Consumers anticipate benefits including: improved health and nutrition (39%); improved quality, taste, and variety of foods (33%); reduced chemical and pesticide use on plants (21%); reduced cost of food (9%); and improved crops and crop yields (9%). For more information, see the IFIC Web Site. The survey was conducted in September 2001 by Cogent Research and is the sixth consumer survey on food biotechnology IFIC has commissioned since 1997. Approximately 1,000 telephone interviews were conducted among a nationally projectable sample of adults 18 and older in the continental United States.

IFT e-news 11-30-01

We need to act to counter the commercials that portray genetic engineering as American as apple pie. We are losing out on this.

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Allene R. Wahl, Ph.D., C.N.C.

Int'l. Resource Center for Chemically Induced Immune Disorders