Industry Groups Applaud Colorado and Oregon Rejection of GMO Labeling

06 Nov 2014 --- The Coalition for Safe Affordable Food (CFSAF) has applauded the outcomes of GMO labeling initiatives in Colorado and Oregon and called on Congress to enact a national labeling solution. The Coalition for Safe Affordable Food is a broad-based coalition representing the entire American agriculture food chain – from farm to fork.

“The voters in Colorado and Oregon were right to reject the scare tactics of extremist groups intent on ignoring the science about GMOs,” said Claire Parker, the coalition spokeswoman. “Passage of these initiatives would have resulted in increased grocery bills for consumers along with incomplete, inaccurate and misleading information.

“It’s time to give consumers what they deserve – a consistent, national framework for food labeling that is based on science, not politics. Consumers have a right to reliable information and a uniform labeling standard that is regulated by experts at the Food and Drug Administration,” she said.

CFSAF supports the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which would eliminate consumer uncertainty created by a state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws, advance food safety, inform consumers and provide consistency in labeling. The legislation reaffirms the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as America’s preeminent authority on food safety and labeling requirements; requires the FDA to approve all new GMO ingredients before they are brought to market; and establishes federal standards for companies that wish to voluntarily label their products for the absence-of or presence-of GMO food ingredients.

Studies have shown that mandated GMO labeling would increase grocery prices for consumers by hundreds of dollars per year as food companies are forced to construct multiple supply streams, design new labels, acquire additional warehouse space and create new transportation routes. A recent study by Cornell University found that GMO labeling would increase grocery costs for an average family by $500 per year.

“It would be wrong to impose additional costs on families when the world’s most influential food safety regulatory agencies and organizations have found GMO ingredients to be safe,” Parker said, citing the U.S. FDA, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences.

Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, issued the following statement in response to the election results of the GMO labeling ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon.

“We are pleased that the voters of Colorado and Oregon both rejected these mandatory GMO labeling measures. These sorts of state based GMO labeling proposals would provide consumers with incomplete and inaccurate information, only serving to misinform and mislead them.

“Without a national framework for consistent, science-based food labeling, the patchwork of state labeling standards would require separate supply chains to be developed for each state. This maze of varied regulations based on inaccurate information would cripple interstate commerce throughout the food supply and distribution chain and ultimately increase grocery prices for consumers by hundreds of dollars each year.

“GMA supports the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act introduced by Representatives Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC). This important legislation would eliminate consumer uncertainty created by a state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws, advance food safety, inform consumers and provide consistency in labeling.

“The bill reaffirms the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as America’s preeminent authority on food safety and labeling requirements; requires the FDA to approve all new GMO ingredients before they are brought to market; and establishes federal standards for companies that wish to voluntarily label their products for the absence-of or presence-of GMO food ingredients.

“We urge Congress to consider and pass the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act at the earliest opportunity.”