Bismarck Tribune - GMO Legislation Introduced with Bipartisan Support

News Article

By Jessica Holdman

Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., joined fellow members of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee in a compromise proposal to address GMO labeling.

The proposed legislation would establish a uniform labeling standard for food that may be bioengineered. It includes three labeling options to be developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: a phrase indicating the product contains genetically modified food, an on-package symbol, or a scannable QR or barcode.

The legislation exempts foods in which meat, poultry and egg products are the main ingredients and prohibits the secretary of agriculture from considering any food product derived from an animal to be bioengineered solely because the animal might have eaten bioengineered feed.

Small manufacturers and restaurants also will be exempt.

"We've been working hard to find a solution to the GMO issue that can pass in both the House and the Senate. Now, we need to act and move this bipartisan proposal before Vermont's labeling law goes into effect next month," Hoeven said in a prepared statement.

"I'm proud our efforts have produced a bipartisan compromise to give farmers and ranchers certainty and give consumers the information they want about their food," said Heitkamp. "Critically, this deal guarantees that any labeling doesn't stigmatize biotech food, which is safe and helps North Dakota farmers put food on the table for families in North Dakota, the United States and the world."

Source