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U.S. NEWSMonday 21 March 2016
Tiny Vermont brings food industry to its knees on GMO labels
LISA RATHKE
Associated Press
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) —
General Mills’ announce-
ment on Friday that it will
start labeling products that
contain genetically modi-
fied ingredients to comply
with a Vermont law shows
food companies might be
throwing in the towel, even
as they hold out hope Con-
gress will find a national so-
lution.
Tiny Vermont is the first state for consumers across the
to require such labeling, ef-
fective July 1. Its fellow New
England states of Maine
and Connecticut have
passed laws that require
such labeling if other near-
by states put one into ef-
fect. The U.S. Senate voted
48-49 Wednesday against
a bill that would have
blocked such state laws.
The food industry is holding
out hope that Congress will
prevent states from requir-
ing such labeling. Some
companies say they plan
to follow Vermont’s law,
while others are consider-
ing pulling their products
from the small state. The
Grocery Manufacturers As-
sociation has called for a
national solution instead of
what it says is a patchwork
of confusing and costly
state labeling laws. It has
also challenged Vermont’s
law in federal court, asking
that the law be blocked
until the case is resolved.
That request was denied
and is on appeal.
General Mills’ “announce-
ment is the latest example
In this Dec. 15, 2007 file photo, a box of General Mills’ Cheerios is seen on a shelf at a Shaw’s dent Vermont retailers are
Supermarket in Gloucester, Mass. Associated Press worried how it could af-
fect their bottom line. “As
of how Vermont’s looming labeling on products that based in Philadelphia, is a retailer, there’s all sorts of
labeling mandate is a seri- contain genetically modi- considering pulling its prod- ways that this could back-
ous problem for business- fied ingredients, saying ucts from Vermont if the fire on us as a state, and a
es,” the association said in it’s not practical to do so law takes effect, said Daryl small independent guy like
a statement. “Food com- for just one state. Camp- Thomas, senior vice presi- myself if I’ve got nothing
panies are being forced bell Soup Co. is also print- dent for sales and market- on my shelves or I’ve got
to make decisions on how ing new national labels in ing. “Just the logistics, the limited (supply) and my
to comply and having to preparation for Vermont’s expense are horrendous,” competitors have no prob-
spend millions of dollars. law, although it opposes he said. “You’d have to lem with the staying pow-
One small state’s law is state-by-state labeling re- duplicate that if any state er, we’re done,” said Ray
setting labeling standards quirements. “This shows went along with its own Bouffard, owner of Geor-
that the United States has regulations and then mul- gia Market in Georgia, Ver-
country.” Nestle supports the capacity to join the tiple it again, again, and mont. The Food and Drug
the mandatory informed 64 other countries that al- again times however many Administration says GMOs,
disclosure of the presence ready requireGMO label- other states chose to have which can include food
of GMO ingredients in food ing,” Vermont Gov. Peter their own requirements,” he made from seeds that
and beverages and be- Shumlin said Friday. “I urge said. In addition, he said, were engineered in labo-
lieves it’s best done by a other companies to follow ensuring the differently la- ratories to have certain
uniform national approach, the lead of General Mills beled products are sorted traits, are safe, but label-
but will abide by state laws and extend this right to and distributed correctly ing advocates say not
if they come into effect, their customers nationwide would be difficult and enough research has been
according to spokeswom- as well.” Other companies costly, he said. The food done and they have a
an Edie Burge. Food giant are weighing their options. industry argues those costs right to know what’s in their
General Mills Inc. said Fri- Herr Foods Inc., a mid- will be passed to the con- food. They also say the use
day it will start nationwide size snack food company sumer, and some indepen- of GMOs has led to big in-
creases in herbicide use.
A 2014 Associated Press-
GfK poll found that 66 per-
cent of Americans support-
ed labeling of genetically
modified food. Leaders of
the U.S. Senate Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry Com-
mittee said they are com-
mitted to finding a com-
promise. U.S. Sen. Pat Rob-
erts, R-Kansas, chairman
of committee, has already
put forth a compromise
that “will ensure consumer
access to biotech informa-
tion and affordable food
while protecting farm-
ers and manufacturers,”
spokeswoman Sarah Little
said Friday.