Senators and Their Concerns
The senators say that the framework meets the needs of consumers, whom polls indicate overwhelmingly favor such labeling, and producers, which are concerned that a patchwork of state labeling laws would be not only expensive and hard to comply with, but also confusing for consumers.
The legislation has been positioned as an alternative to a Senate Agriculture Committee bill that Merkley, Leahy, Tester – himself a farmer – and Feinstein contend would hide ingredient information from consumers by overturning state GMO labeling laws.
Merkley is the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, on which Senators Tester, Leahy and Feinstein also sit. Additionally, Leahy is a past chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and his home state has already passed its own labeling law, which would be pre-empted by the Ag Committee bill if it were enacted.
Four Ways to Disclose Genetically Modified Ingredients
The act would amend the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers to disclose the presence of GM ingredients on the Nutrition Fact Panel in one of four ways:
- They can use a parenthesis following the relevant ingredient to show that it’s “genetically engineered.”
- They can identify GM ingredients with an asterisk and provide an explanation at the bottom of the ingredient list.
- They can apply a catch-all statement at the end of the ingredient list that the product was “produced with genetic engineering.”
- The FDA would have the authority to create a symbol, in consultation with food manufacturers, that would clearly and conspicuously disclose the presence of GM ingredients on packaging.
None of the options would require front-panel disclosures or “warning” statements with the intent to disparage GM ingredients.
The bill would provide regulatory certainty to national food manufacturers, as it offers a uniform Federal GM labeling standard with enough flexibility to suit manufacturing operations of various sizes and markets, while also granting national manufacturers complying with the federal standard safe harbor from the potential patchwork of state laws.
Campbell Soup Co Endorses Legislation
“The legislation reflects Campbell’s support for mandatory national standards for labeling of foods made with GMOs,” said Kelly D. Johnston, VP of government affairs for Camden, N.J.-based Campbell. “We applaud Senator Jeff Merkley and his colleagues for responding to consumers’ desire for the information they seek in a consistent and transparent manner.”
