MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont’s law requiring most genetically modified food to be labeled as such remains on schedule to take effect July 1, after the U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted not to advance a bill that would have blocked such state laws.
On a 48-49 procedural vote — short of the 60 votes needed for passage — the Senate decided not to go ahead with legislation similar to a bill passed by the U.S. House last year. The decision was hailed by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Gov. Peter Shumlin, both Democrats, and independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. It was sharply criticized by industry groups, which vowed to continue fighting for the legislation and are also seeking to have Vermont’s law overturned in Federal court.
While expressing relief at Wednesday’s Senate vote, Shumlin criticized the Congress for letting the measure get as far as it has.
“This is a Congress, led by the Republicans, that believes in states’ rights, that believes in a smaller federal government, until it comes to matters that affect either a woman’s right to plan for her own health care choices or until it’s against the Monsanto and the large food companies in America who don’t want you to know what’s in your food,” the governor said.
Both the federal Food and Drug Administration and industry groups say there are no health threats from genetically modified food, but labeling advocates argue that consumers should be notified when genetic engineering has been used in the foods they buy.
“Consumers everywhere simply have the right to know,” Leahy said. “We are not asking manufacturers to change their production processes. We are simply asking them to tell consumers what is in the products that go on store shelves. “
Vermont was not the first state to enact a GMO labeling law when it did so in 2014, but other states with such laws said they would take effect only when neighboring states went along. Vermont decided to go it alone, meaning it is expected as of July to be the first state with a labeling requirement in effect.
Genetically modified seeds are engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, such as resistance to herbicides. The majority of the country’s corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that going to animal feed. Corn and soybeans also are made into popular processed food ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soybean oil. The food industry says about 75 percent to 80 percent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients.
The Food and Drug Administration says they are safe, and there is little scientific concern about the safety of those GMOs on the market. But advocates for labeling say not enough is known about their risks. Among supporters of labeling are many organic companies that are barred by law from using modified ingredients in their foods.
Those advocates have been fighting state by state to enact the labeling, with the eventual goal of a national standard.
The industry argues that the labels could be costly for agriculture, food companies and consumers. Congressional Republicans have opposed a patchwork of state laws and worked to find a solution on the issue before Vermont’s law kicks in.
Previous to its setback in the Senate, industry groups also failed in federal court to stop Vermont’s law from taking effect. That decision is being appealed to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, which could still rule to block the Vermont law.