Senate Passes GMO Labeling Bill

Posted by Rosemary Gordon|July 8, 2016

The U.S. Senate voted 63-30 to approve the bipartisan Roberts-Stabenow GMO labeling and disclosure bill and now urges passage by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill, the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, would prevent individual states from creating laws requiring labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of United Fresh Produce Association, approves the Senate’s actions passing the GMO labeling legislation:

“United Fresh applauds the historic passage yesterday of legislation crafted by Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas and Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan that establishes federal standards for the labeling of GMO foods. The Senate language passed on a strong, bipartisan vote of 63-30 and provides much-needed clarity for the food and agriculture sector, as well as consumers. The bill puts the requirement for labeling on those companies that introduce these foods into the marketplace, which may reduce the pressure on companies to seek “non-GMO” verified labeling.

How do you think the House will handle the proposed GMO labeling bill?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Mary Elke says:

July 11, 2016 at 12:34 pm

This is a terrible bill. Let’s hope the House does not approve it.

Monica V. says:

July 12, 2016 at 9:57 am

I agree that this is a terrible bill. The consumer has the right to know what they are purchasing. I do not want to consume GMO foods.

Care Bear says:

July 13, 2016 at 7:37 am

When we stop letting people have choice, we are in very sad times. The right is so disingenuous on this topic it makes me want to puke. They say ” let the States have the choice”. Oh unless they choose a different way then we want”.

Very sad.

Dave W. says:

July 13, 2016 at 8:11 am

Personally, I see nothing wrong with a mandatory labeling requirement. Upwards of 90 percent of the corn, soybeans and cotton grown in this country is genetically engineered. They’ve been part of the American diet for years now. Who are we kidding that GMOs will go away or that labeling will be the end of them.

But the larger question is one of state’s rights. Every state’s residents are different, and if the residents within the bounds of that state decide they want GMO labeling, and their desire to do so is constitutional, by what right do the feds have to deny them their desire?

Phyllis Couture says:

July 13, 2016 at 10:44 am

this is a good compromise. Our food companies are national in scope, and a state by state approach would be a nightmare. As I read the bill, there is flexibility as to what a company says, and how they say it. Also the bill outlines what is really “gmo” and what our anti-gmo organizations want to label as gmo. Plant breeding has been going on for decades – remember your biology about Mendelson and the peas? It was probably revolutionary at the time, but gives us our productive food supply now.

Dan B. says:

July 13, 2016 at 12:40 pm

Phyllis, You obviously DON’T remember your biology 101. It was Gregor Mendel who is credited as the father of modern genetics however Mendel DIDN’T pull genes out of of different species and insert them into other plants for his work. There hasn’t been sufficient time to study the effects of non-natural plant breeding such as this and careful analysis must be given. There must be choice in the marketplace and those who blanket oppose it aren’t being realistic with consumers who expect and demand accountability with what they eat.

July 13, 2016 at 8:50 pm

sorry, wrong man, my error. I still stand by my comments