Last updated on June 13th, 2024 at 05:03 pm
On July 14, the House of Representatives passed by a 306-117 vote the U.S. Senate’s version of a new federal standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), S. 764, the Roberts-Stabenow Biotech Labeling Act.
The measure, which pre-empts Vermont’s law and others that are in the works, will now be sent to the president’s desk for his signature. Once enacted, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will have two years to complete the regulatory process to write the new final rule.
If signed, the law would create a national standard for labeling foods with ingredients derived through biotechnology, whether genetically engineered (GE) or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The new legislation drew praise from many food groups.
Pamela Bailey, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and co-chair of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food (CFSAF), which lobbied for the bill, said, “This is a win-win for every American family in every state. The legislation ensures that consumers get more information about genetically engineered ingredients, prevents a patchwork of confusing and costly state labeling mandates, and provides the same labeling rules to shoppers regardless of where they live or shop. It is the right solution to increase disclosure of information that consumers are seeking without stigmatizing a safe technology that feeds a hungry and growing world.”
GMA already has devised the SmartLabel, which gives consumers information about thousands of products via the SmartLabel.org website.
Her counterpart at the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Leslie G. Sarasin, said, “Today, the House of Representatives agreed that a national labeling standard is critical to U.S. grocery shoppers’ desire to seek out consistent, accurate information regarding product ingredients. FMI’s consumer trends data indicate food retail customers are confident in the safety of the food they buy in their local supermarkets, but are also increasingly interested in the origins and ingredients of their food.”
Sarasin added that the legislation “avoids the consumer confusion and crippling limitations to interstate commerce that already are erupting under the current Vermont law and would be multiplied further by a developing patchwork of differing, and therefore confusing, state GMO labeling laws. One single national labeling standard circumvents all disadvantages that a multitude of conflicting state GMO labeling laws would inevitably create.”
Another benefit to the national legislation, Sarasin said, is that it would eliminate the need for warehouses to segregate food product based on varying state requirements and allows businesses to continue sourcing the products their customers want to buy.
“We project that more than 34,000 products will be using SmartLabel by the end of 2017,” Bailey said.
National Grocers Association President and CEO Peter Larkin, said, “This bill offers the needed certainty for stakeholders throughout the food supply chain, and more importantly for consumers. We appreciate the House for its swift action to pass this bill and are especially grateful for the leadership provided by Chairman Conaway and Roberts, Ranking Members Peterson and Stabenow, and Congressmen Pompeo and Butterfield who all worked to advance a common sense, bipartisan solution.
Numerous other organizations, including the International Dairy Foods Association and the American Soybean Association, expressed their appreciation for the House passing the bill just one week after the Senate passed it.
