The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, chaired by U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), advanced new legislation on Tuesday to address GMO labeling in a bipartisan 14-6 vote.
The Chairman’s Mark on Biotechnology Labeling Solutions, introduced by Roberts, would create a national solution to address the patchwork state-by-state biotechnology labeling laws for food produced from biotechnology seeds, or GMOs, while providing more information to consumers about the food they are purchasing at the grocery store.
“It is clear that what we’re facing today is not a safety or health issue,” Roberts said. “It is a market issue. This is really a conversation about a few states dictating to every state the way food moves from farmers to consumers in the value chain. We have a responsibility to ensure that the national market can work for everyone, including farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.
“The Chairman’s Mark puts forward policies that will help consumers not only find information, but also demand information from manufacturers. However, it is important, as with any federal legislation on this topic, for Congress to consider scientific fact and unintended consequences.
“Simply put, the legislation before us provides an immediate and comprehensive solution to the state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws. It sets national uniformity, based on science, for labeling food or seeds that are genetically engineered. This allows the value chain from farmer-to-processor-to-shipper-to-retailer-to-consumer to continue as the free market intended.”
The legislation requires the USDA to establish a national voluntary standard for bioengineered foods or foods that may contain bioengineered ingredients within the next two years. Comments and other factors will then be considered by USDA using the rulemaking process.
The USDA secretary and secretary of Health and Human Services would also be required to submit a market-wide report on the availability of information concerning a food’s bioengineered status within the next four years.
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said that the legislation also bolsters the nation’s ag producers.
“The science tells us that biotech foods are safe,” Hoeven said. “The cost issue to consumers is important, but we also need to understand that this is a tough time for our ag producers. We have to be out there helping those farmers and ranchers. The right to know is important, and this bill does provide that we have a national standard for a voluntary labeling standard that the USDA has to have in place within two years. Further, the USDA has to continue that work to make sure that info on GMOs are available to consumers and report back to Congress.”
The USDA secretary and other federal agencies would be required by the legislation to engage in ongoing consumer education and outreach efforts. The science-based information will be related to the environmental, nutritional, economic and humanitarian benefits of agricultural biotechnology.
“While extensive testing and scientific studies have demonstrated that genetically engineered crops are just as safe as non-GMO crops, consumers should have the option to purchase products without them if they so choose,” U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) said. “Nothing in federal law prevents companies from selling such products today. But food companies – who often sell their products across state lines to consumers in many different states – should not be unnecessarily burdened with 50 different labeling requirements. A voluntary, streamlined approach that sets a new national labeling standard will reduce compliance costs without forcing companies to include – or not include – labeling information on the bioengineered content of their products.”
The legislation is supported by more than 650 farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, processors, seed makers, handlers, food and feed manufacturers, lenders, and retailers. Legislation on the topic was passed by the House in July by a bipartisan 275-150 vote.