The food and ag industry is generally pleased with Senate Ag Committee leaders’ compromise GMO labeling bill.
The bipartisan agreement, released Thursday, would create a national, mandatory GMO labeling system. The legislation closes the gap on defining genetic engineering and exempts gene editing from the standards. The measure also exempts meat, dairy and egg products from animals that might have consumed GMO feed. It requires food manufactures to make GMO ingredient disclosures on packaging either in writing, a symbol or a digital code. The bill also closes loopholes in Vermont’s state law and requires processed food products to be labeled. The legislation sets a two-year window to enact the standards after its approval.
The National Milk Producers Federation says they are pleased the proposal clearly stipulates that milk and meat from animals that consume feed grown from biotech seeds are not subject to the labeling disclosure provisions.
The National Corn Growers Association says GMOs are perfectly safe and America’s farmers rely on this proven technology to protect crops from insects, weeds and drought.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association says by the end of next year, more than 34,000 products will be using SmartLabels which discloses information about how food is produced, animal welfare and GMO ingredients, and would be in line with the labeling requirements.
Chairman of the Just Label It campaign Gary Hirshberb says they are pleased with the proposal, but says it falls short of what consumers expect, such as GMO disclosure at-a-glance on packaging.
Source: Brownfield Ag News
