According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee voted 14-6 to prevent states from requiring the labeling of foods that include genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Vermont is set to require such labels this summer, and other states are considering similar laws.
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), chairman of the committee, said a patchwork of state laws would be a “wrecking ball” that could be costly for agriculture, food companies, and ultimately consumers. The bill would block Vermont’s law and create new voluntary labels for companies that want to use them on food packages that contain genetically modified ingredients.
The legislation is similar to a bill the House passed last year. The food industry has strongly backed both bills, saying GMOs are safe and a patchwork of state laws isn’t practical. Labeling advocates have been fighting state-by-state to enact the labeling, with the eventual goal of a national mandatory standard.
Of the vote, the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin said: “The nation’s grocery stores commend Chairman Pat Roberts and the Senate Agriculture Committee for their mindful consideration of our industry’s commitment to providing clear criteria and definitions on food labeling. We appreciate Senator Joe Donnelly’s (D-Ind.) efforts to work toward a compromise, and we expect even more bipartisan support when the legislation reaches the Senate floor.”
On the other side, Scott Faber, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) senior vice president of government affairs, said: “The version of the DARK Act that passed the Senate Agriculture Committee today would rob Americans of their right to know what’s in their food … We remain hopeful that the Senate will craft a national, mandatory GMO labeling system that provides consumers with basic factual information about their food.”
Sixty votes will be needed to pass the bill in Senate, which may be difficult given Vermont Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders have both strongly opposed efforts to block their state’s law. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said that for the legislation to receive broad enough support to pass the Senate, “it must contain a pathway to a national system of mandatory disclosure that provides consumers the information they need and want to make informed choices.”
GMO labeling is just one of many recent labeling issues in the food and beverage industry. Given the constant flux of food labeling requirements in the United States, make sure you are armed with the latest information by attending IFT’s Short Course: Labeling Requirements and Implications for Foods Marketed in the U.S. It will take place March 31–April 1 at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, N.J. One of the course speakers, Riëtte van Laack, attorney with Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, will provide attendees with an overview of state’s jurisdictions and then, on the second day, delve into the plethora of claims on packaging, including Non-GMO. Register to attend today.
