While not ideal, this legislation does allow for the continued development and investment in crop technologies in agriculture due in part to the national uniformity it provides regarding GMO labeling. Visitors to the Senate dropped $2,000 in cash on the Senate floor to protest the weak bill. Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas and Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow of MI sponsored the bill. “This bill is a travesty, an undemocratic and discriminatory bill which preempts state laws, while offering no meaningful labeling for GMOs”, said Friends of the Earth. “But the work isn’t done yet”. It now goes to the House. The bill has drawn accolades from farmers, consumers, and advocates in the food industry because it would override GMO labeling laws enacted by individual states, such as Vermont’s labeling law, which by the way, is more stringent.
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Researchers have found that labels do not dissuade people from consuming genetically engineered food, which has been a big worry of farm groups and businesses.
The food industry says 75 percent to 80 percent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients _ most of those corn and soy-based.
If the bill doesn’t pass, Roberts warned, a patchwork of state labeling laws will soon wreak havoc on the flow of interstate commerce.
The bill requires food manufacturers to use one of three types of labels to inform consumers when genetically engineered, or GMO, ingredients are in their products. Critics also decry the ability of companies to use a smartphone scan code to signal the presence of GMOs, saying words or symbols on food packages are less confusing.
The federal law, which the Senate was expected to consider later Wednesday, would supersede the first state law mandating GMO disclosure. ME has passed GMO labeling legislation and similar measures are under consideration in New York, Massachusetts, and other states. “Rather than add GMO labels or search for alternative ingredients, I will probably just discontinue those flavors”.
Image: The new GMO labeling bill comes in response to request from consumers seeking greater transparency for food products.
Genetically modified foods are plants or animals that have had genes copied from other plants or animals inserted into their DNA.
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The association was part of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, which lobbied for what labeling supporters termed the Deny Americans the Right to Know, or DARK Act, that would have made labeling voluntary.
