WASHINGTON — Food companies are mounting an aggressive year-end push to head off mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods. ADVERTISING WASHINGTON — Food companies are mounting an aggressive year-end push to head off mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods. The
WASHINGTON — Food companies are mounting an aggressive year-end push to head off mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods.
The food industry wants the labeling to be voluntary, and it hopes to get a provision in a massive spending bill being considered in Congress. If that becomes law, states could not require companies to disclose whether their products contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
Food companies and farm groups say Congress must step in before Vermont becomes the first state to require GMO labels next summer.
“It is imperative that Congress take action now to prevent a costly and confusing patchwork of state labeling laws from taking effect next year and spreading across the country,” a coalition of groups representing growers and the food industry said in a letter to House and Senate leaders.
The country’s largest food companies say genetically modified foods are safe and labels would be misleading. They argue its costs would be passed on to consumers.
Supporters of labeling counter that consumers have a right to know what’s in their foods, and Congress shouldn’t be trying to pre-empt states. They have pushed state legislatures to pass labeling laws, with the eventual goal of having a federal mandatory label set by the Food and Drug Administration.
Genetically modified seeds are engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, such as resistance to herbicides. The majority of the country’s corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that going to animal feed. Corn and soybeans also are made into popular processed food ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soybean oil. The food industry says about 75 to 80 percent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients.
The FDA said GMOs on the market now are safe, and the federal government does not support mandatory labels.
“What’s at stake for farmers and consumers without action is that American farmers and food companies will be faced with uncertainty,” said Claire Parker of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, the group that wants Congress to step in.
In addition to blocking states from requiring the labels, the legislation would step up FDA oversight by requiring any new genetically engineered products be reviewed by the agency before they can be sold.
