Last updated on February 24th, 2016 at 02:39 pm
Several food groups, including the National Grocers Association and the Food Marketing Institute, are supporting a congressional proposal to establish a federal uniform labeling standard for foods made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and also for GMO-free foods.
The legislation, backed by U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, would block Vermont’s bid to establish its own labeling requirements set to take effect in July.
Roberts’ plan would create new voluntary labels for companies that want to use them on food packages that contain genetically modified ingredients. The House of Representatives passed a similar bill last July. Roberts plan is scheduled for committee review Feb. 25.
FMI SVP of Government and Public Affairs Jennifer Hatcher said, “We are very pleased that Chairman Roberts has scheduled a markup on legislation that meets an urgent need to avoid the inevitable chaos the food industry faces if left without a federal government-created standard definition that eliminates multiple state approaches. Without immediate action, costs in the supply chain will escalate rapidly and, once the resources are expended, consumer costs will inevitably rise.”
Added NGA President and CEO Peter Larkin, “Independent supermarket operators interact with shoppers on a daily basis and understand that they share a bond of trust with their customers to provide a variety of safe and quality food choices. NGA and its members believe consumers should have clear and consistent information to make informed buying decisions, which is why NGA supports a uniform and voluntary standard, regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to ensure that GMO labeling of food products is consistent and transparent to consumers nationwide. We applaud Chairman Roberts for his efforts to implement a federal legislative solution.”
