GMA: Vermont GMO Labelling Bill “A Step in the Wrong Direction”

22 Apr 2014 --- Plans to implement a food labelling bill in Vermont for foods which contain genetically modified ingredients have been slammed by the grocery industry. In a statement the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) said the HB112 bill is “a step in the wrong direction for consumers”.

The industry body also said: “It sets the nation on a costly and misguided path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labelling policies that will do nothing to advance the safety of consumers. GM crops are safe and have important benefits for people and our planet. They use less water and fewer pesticides, reduce crop prices by 15 to 30 % and can help us feed a growing global population of seven billion people. The FDA, World Health Organization, American Medical Association and U.S. National Academy of Science have all found that foods and beverages that contain GM ingredients are safe and materially no different than conventionally produced products”.

Last week the Vermont Senate passed HB112, and the bill may be delivered to Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin, according to reports. If enacted, Vermont would become the first state in the nation to require specific labeling of foods containing GMO products, although around 67 similar bills have been introduced across 25 states. It would take effect July 2016.

The statement by the GMA on the HB112 bill notes that consumers who prefer to avoid GM ingredients have the option to choose from an array of products already in the marketplace labeled ‘certified organic’. The government therefore has “no compelling interest in warning consumers about foods containing GM ingredients”, it said.

“We encourage policymakers in Vermont and across the nation to support alternative legislation that would ensure that food labels are accurate and consistent for consumers,” the GMA said.

The GMA represents 300 food, beverage and consumer product companies.