Soy Maíz, Local Farmers, GMO Label Seekers March Against Monsanto in San Francisco

Chanting "Label GMOs, It's Our Right to Know" and "Si Se Puede!" thousands marched down Market Street to Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco on Saturday May 25.

Monsanto says that their genetically modified seeds add nutritional benefits, improve crop yields, and increase the global food supply. Saturday's protesters said the claim of nutritional benefits is bunk, and the genetic changes actually create risks to human health.

In speeches at Union Square and at the end of their march near San Francisco's Ferry Building in a wide plaza, protesters bemoaned the fact that most corn, soybean and cotton crops grown in the United States today have been genetically modified. They said that genetically modified organisms can lead to serious health conditions; many say they've personally experienced such harm.

In San Francisco advocates pushing for mandatory labeling of genetically modified products say the issue will be on California's ballot again, even though proposition 37 failed in the last election. Members of Soy Maíz, an anti GMO group active in the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles, carried large banners. In both Spanish and English they spoke of the disasters, both economic and biological, that Monsanto has created. Small farmers also came out in support of the cause. One carried a sign that said "Support Local Farmers".