On July 1, Vermont’s right-to-know labeling law went into effect. Food products sold in Vermont will require a simple label in English stating that the product was “produced,” “partially produced,” or “may be produced” with genetic engineering.
Unlike Campbell’s and Kellogg’s, some producers have failed to use the last two years to prepare new labels, hoping that either court action or Congressional action would stop our law before July 1. Didn’t happen. To help the latecomers, we have given producers a grace period before any enforcement action can take place. Consumers will thus have to wait another 6 months to be sure about our labels, but we are patient here in Vermont and can take the long view.
{mosads}Most agree that a national label would be far easier on producers and manufacturers and we have certainly encouraged and supported efforts to do so. We were initially excited to hear about a Stabenow-Roberts compromise, but upon review, found it sorely lacking. Why?
First: the definition. The Vermont bill was carefully crafted to cover all current forms of genetic engineering, taking technological innovation into account. In contrast, the Stabenow-Roberts compromise limits this definition and would ultimately exclude some sugars, oils and corn products about which consumers care deeply. Consumers care not only about the food product itself, but also how it was produced.
Second problem: label options. Whatever happened to good-ol’ English? The Stabenow-Roberts label options include a web site or a digital scan symbol. Imagine traveling down the food aisle with 2 children in tow, trying to scan every item you pick up or log into a website before putting it in your cart! And what happens if you don’t have a smart phone or there is no connection in the store? This happens. Labels need words – English words most helpful. We would certainly hope sponsors of S.678, a bill to declare English as the official language of the US would be on board. Senate sponsors James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), David Vitter (R-La.), Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), please help here!
With 6 additional months before enforcement in Vermont, Congress has time to get it right and has so many more tools to make it easy for consumers and producers. A simple asterisk by an ingredient leading consumers to the words “genetically engineered” would be the most transparent. States cannot require this, but Congress can. Congress should reject this so-called “compromise: and give consumers what they want – a mandatory labeling law that actually labels foods that do or may contain GMO ingredients.
Webb, Partridge and Zagar are Democratic Vermont state representatives. Zuckerman is a Progressive Vermont state senator. They were lead sponsors of Act 120: an act relating to the labeling of food produced with genetic engineering. The bill was signed into law on May 8, 2014 and went into effect on July 1, 2016.