Following Vermont’s lead, other states poised to take action on GMO food labeling
May 16, 2014
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin
It’s great news that Vermont’s is the first state in the United States to pass a law that will require food manufacturers to label foods that have been genetically engineered or contain genetically engineered ingredients.
The states of Maine and Connecticut have also passed GE labeling bills, but unlike Vermont’s, they’ll only go into effect if surrounding states pass similar legislation.
It was so disappointing when a GE labeling ballot measure failed in Washington state in 2013 and the year before in California.
Despite the difficulty in getting GE labeling laws passed, the Environmental Working group said that 93 percent of consumers support mandatory labeling of GE food.
“Americans, regardless of whether they live in Vermont or any other state, want and deserve the right to know more about their food,” said Ken Cook, president and co-founder of EWG.
More than 30 other states are planning to consider labeling bills and ballot initiatives this year, Cook said.
One of the efforts will be in Oregon. Oregon Right to Know announced Thursday that it will be moving forward with a statewide signature gathering effort to place a measure on the November ballot requiring foods containing GMO to be labeled.
The group will use paid signature gatherers and volunteers to collect the 87,213 signatures needed by July 3.
A measure was defeated in 2002 in Oregon to label GMO foods.
According to the website, Right to Know GMO, 32 states have action underway, such as bills proposed or signature gathering campaigns, to get GMO labeling approved. Check its Take Action in Your State to find out what’s happening where you live.
Gov. Peter Shumlin signed Vermont’s GE labeling bill into law last week.
The new law requires GE food sold in Vermont as of July 1, 2016, to be labeled “partially produced with genetic engineering,” “may be produced with genetic engineering,” or “produced with genetic engineering.” GE food will no longer be allowed to carry labels that say “natural” or “naturally made.”
Vermont expects stiff opposition from industry groups on its GE labeling law and included funds in the bill passed to pay for legal fees.
In addition, the food industry and its allies in Congress are trying to block efforts in states to label GE food with federal legislation that would prevent states and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from requiring GE labeling, he said.
More than 64 countries require GE labeling on food, including China and Russia.
With the defeat of Washington state’s labeling ballot measure last year following the defeats of those in California and Oregon, I hoped that city and county governments would take up the battle.
It’s encouraging that Vermont has had success. Maybe Oregon will be successful in 2014, and other states, too.
One voter in Washington I talked to said he voted against the state GE labeling ballot measure because he didn’t think the state should be the first in the nation to adopt it. Now that Vermont has adopted a GE labeling requirement, maybe other states will be more willing to follow its lead.
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