SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Fate of Vermont's Historic GMO-Labeling Law in US Senate's Hands
Victory in Vermont, where GMO label requirements went into effect Friday, may be 'fleeting'
Jul 03, 2016
As the nation's first GMO labeling law takes effect, food policy experts are warning that its benefits could be "fleeting," should the U.S. Senate pass a so-called "compromise" bill this week that would nullify Vermont's historic law as well as other state efforts in the works.
Vermont's law (pdf) requiring food manufacturers to clearly state whether a product is "produced with genetic engineering" went into effect Friday.
" Vermont had the courage to say, 'If it's the right thing to do, what are we waiting for,'" Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin told a rally of about 150 people on the Statehouse steps. He asked supporters of the law to celebrate on social media under the hashtag #WeLabeledGMOS.
"But this victory may be fleeting," cautioned Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "The Senate will vote next week on a federal bill that would nullify Vermont's law, and other state labeling efforts percolating, thanks to the heavy hand the ag-biotech industry wields over our congressional representatives."
Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Pat Roberts, of Kansas, and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, announced the so-called "compromise" bill--which has less stringent requirements--last month. Food safety advocates have decried the legislation (pdf) as anti-consumer, inadequate, and "inherently discriminatory."
As Hauter wrote in an op-ed on Friday:
Advocates of GMO labeling have pushed for clear, on-package language, just like what's required under the Vermont law. But the Senate bill would allow manufacturers to post "call for more information" phone numbers or even smart phone "QR codes" if they so desire--meaning that if you have a phone with the right app installed, a steady hand and a solid data connection you'll be able to access a website that will tell you what's in the food you're buying.
That's not a label--that's a hassle.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) last week called it "bad federal legislation" and vowed to do what he can do defeat the bill, which is expected to come up for a vote this week. He tweeted to that effect on Sunday:
The Minneapolis Star Tribune notes: "If the new bill passes the Senate, it must still pass the House, which earlier voted for a bill that places a national ban on on-package GMO disclosure."
It's a race against the clock, one industry lobbyist told Capital Press. "If Congress does not pass this bill by the 15th [when it goes on recess until after Labor Day], it won't get taken up until September, which is much, much, much too late," said Roger Lowe, executive vice president of strategic communications for the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
As the nation's first GMO labeling law takes effect, food policy experts are warning that its benefits could be "fleeting," should the U.S. Senate pass a so-called "compromise" bill this week that would nullify Vermont's historic law as well as other state efforts in the works.
Vermont's law (pdf) requiring food manufacturers to clearly state whether a product is "produced with genetic engineering" went into effect Friday.
" Vermont had the courage to say, 'If it's the right thing to do, what are we waiting for,'" Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin told a rally of about 150 people on the Statehouse steps. He asked supporters of the law to celebrate on social media under the hashtag #WeLabeledGMOS.
"But this victory may be fleeting," cautioned Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "The Senate will vote next week on a federal bill that would nullify Vermont's law, and other state labeling efforts percolating, thanks to the heavy hand the ag-biotech industry wields over our congressional representatives."
Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Pat Roberts, of Kansas, and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, announced the so-called "compromise" bill--which has less stringent requirements--last month. Food safety advocates have decried the legislation (pdf) as anti-consumer, inadequate, and "inherently discriminatory."
As Hauter wrote in an op-ed on Friday:
Advocates of GMO labeling have pushed for clear, on-package language, just like what's required under the Vermont law. But the Senate bill would allow manufacturers to post "call for more information" phone numbers or even smart phone "QR codes" if they so desire--meaning that if you have a phone with the right app installed, a steady hand and a solid data connection you'll be able to access a website that will tell you what's in the food you're buying.
That's not a label--that's a hassle.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) last week called it "bad federal legislation" and vowed to do what he can do defeat the bill, which is expected to come up for a vote this week. He tweeted to that effect on Sunday:
The Minneapolis Star Tribune notes: "If the new bill passes the Senate, it must still pass the House, which earlier voted for a bill that places a national ban on on-package GMO disclosure."
It's a race against the clock, one industry lobbyist told Capital Press. "If Congress does not pass this bill by the 15th [when it goes on recess until after Labor Day], it won't get taken up until September, which is much, much, much too late," said Roger Lowe, executive vice president of strategic communications for the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
As the nation's first GMO labeling law takes effect, food policy experts are warning that its benefits could be "fleeting," should the U.S. Senate pass a so-called "compromise" bill this week that would nullify Vermont's historic law as well as other state efforts in the works.
Vermont's law (pdf) requiring food manufacturers to clearly state whether a product is "produced with genetic engineering" went into effect Friday.
" Vermont had the courage to say, 'If it's the right thing to do, what are we waiting for,'" Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin told a rally of about 150 people on the Statehouse steps. He asked supporters of the law to celebrate on social media under the hashtag #WeLabeledGMOS.
"But this victory may be fleeting," cautioned Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch. "The Senate will vote next week on a federal bill that would nullify Vermont's law, and other state labeling efforts percolating, thanks to the heavy hand the ag-biotech industry wields over our congressional representatives."
Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Pat Roberts, of Kansas, and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, announced the so-called "compromise" bill--which has less stringent requirements--last month. Food safety advocates have decried the legislation (pdf) as anti-consumer, inadequate, and "inherently discriminatory."
As Hauter wrote in an op-ed on Friday:
Advocates of GMO labeling have pushed for clear, on-package language, just like what's required under the Vermont law. But the Senate bill would allow manufacturers to post "call for more information" phone numbers or even smart phone "QR codes" if they so desire--meaning that if you have a phone with the right app installed, a steady hand and a solid data connection you'll be able to access a website that will tell you what's in the food you're buying.
That's not a label--that's a hassle.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) last week called it "bad federal legislation" and vowed to do what he can do defeat the bill, which is expected to come up for a vote this week. He tweeted to that effect on Sunday:
The Minneapolis Star Tribune notes: "If the new bill passes the Senate, it must still pass the House, which earlier voted for a bill that places a national ban on on-package GMO disclosure."
It's a race against the clock, one industry lobbyist told Capital Press. "If Congress does not pass this bill by the 15th [when it goes on recess until after Labor Day], it won't get taken up until September, which is much, much, much too late," said Roger Lowe, executive vice president of strategic communications for the Grocery Manufacturers Association.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.