New legislation could require national GMO labeling

The national fight over the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms took a new turn on Wednesday, when Senator Dianne Feinstein joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jon Tester (D-MT) to introduce new legislation that would require national labeling of GMO ingredients.

Called the Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act, it is an alternate to legislation approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday that would prevent states from passing mandatory GMO labeling laws like one due to go into effect in Vermont on July 1.

Merkley’s new legislation would require that manufacturers disclose the presence of genetically engineered ingredients on the Nutrition Facts panel, though food companies would have four different ways to include that information, such as adding a statement at the end of the ingredients list that the product was “produced with genetic engineering.”

“There is a way to give consumers the information they are asking for without placing unfair or conflicting requirements on food producers,” said Merkley in a statement, referring to the estimated 90 percent of Americans who say they want GMO labeling.