GMO Labeling Update

By MSNews

On March 16th, 2016, the DARK act  failed in the Senate, on a procedural vote that required a 60-vote majority to advance the legislation.

According to Graham Willard, Policy Associate for ASBC in Washington, D.C., ” We are still waiting to hear what the next steps are for the Senate bill – my guess is that Pat Roberts, the Chair of the Agriculture Committee, will try to work out some sort of compromise with the Democrat, Debbie Stabenow. There’s a possibility nothing will happen, too. “
“Already, some major corporate food groups that have been resistant to labeling have reversed course.”, says Willard. Food giant General Mills Inc., one company that was resistant to labeling, said that it will start nationwide labeling on products that contain genetically modified ingredients, saying it’s not practical to do so for just one state. Campbell Soup Co. is also printing new national labels in preparation for Vermont’s law, although it opposes state-by-state labeling requirements.

Nestle spokeswoman Edie Burge, has stated (in an AP article) that the company supports the mandatory informed disclosure of the presence of GMO ingredients in food and beverages and believes it’s best done by a uniform national approach, but will abide by state laws if they come into effect.

While the tide towards a nationwide labeling standard has momentum, some continue to resist. The newly introduced Senate bill, S. 2609, sponsored by Pat Roberts, would thwart state labeling efforts with one sentence:

No State … may directly or indirectly establish under any authority or continue in effect as to any food in interstate commerce any requirement for a food that is the subject of the bio-engineered food labeling standard under this section that is not identical to that voluntary standard.

The bill also calls on the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a “national voluntary bioengineered food labeling standard” that would prohibit labels stating that genetically modified foods are any less safe than other foods.

Moreover in section 294, the bill would establish a mandatory order for the USDA to spend taxpayer dollars to re-educate the public on behalf of the industry to promote the acceptance of GMO food. Section 294 (a) reads:

…benefits of agricultural biotechnology (GMOs), through education, outreach, and promotion to address consumer acceptance of agricultural biotechnology.

A summary of the bill by the independent GovTrack

Businesses and consumers are encouraged to remain informed on the latest developments. We at OSBC will track this issue for our members.

OSBC supports the Genetically Engineered-Food-Right-to-Know Act, authored by Senator Boxer and the Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act, authored by Senator Merkley that establish a uniform, mandatory nationwide labeling requirement.

Share

Discover more from Ohio Sustainable Business Council

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

You might also like:

Ohio’s 2024 Climate and Economic Crossroads: A Year of IRA Gains and ESG Challenges

Fossil Fuel Interests Are Working To Kill Solar in One Ohio County. The Hometown Newspaper Is Helping

Business Leaders Challenge Texas Law Targeting Responsible Investors