NORTHAMPTON — Grassroots, state and federal leaders on Thursday gathered downtown to express dismay at recent federal legislation on genetically modified food and urged consumers to continue to fight for food-labeling transparency.
Congressman James McGovern, D-Worcester, and state Reps. Ellen Story, D-Amherst, Todd Smola, R-Warren, and John Sciback, D-South Hadley, denounced the legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama earlier this month that will require labeling of genetically modified foods.
The law has major shortcomings, the legislators said Thursday on the Hampshire County Courthouse lawn, because it doesn’t require packages to plainly state whether the food contains GMOs. Instead, ingredients may be revealed through the use of a QR code, accessed with a smartphone, or by calling a phone number.
The law also supersedes more stringent state laws, such as the one that was on the books in Vermont for just a month before the federal bill was signed.
McGovern said the federal GMO law was meant to deceive consumers by making it difficult to access ingredient disclosures.
“When you go to the supermarket and you buy 20 or 30 items, are you going to take the time to analyze those with your phone?” he said.
The issue is about consumers having a right to know what’s in their food, he said, and is separate from any scientific arguments for or against human consumption of GMOs.
McGovern urged consumers to put pressure on the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is tasked with implementing the law. He said they should encourage the agency to implement “feasible” rules, none of which would include the use of phones to access information.
“The only option that is feasible is a clear label,” he said. “Period.”
The federal legislation halted an effort that was underway in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass a GMO labeling bill similar to Vermont’s. Legislators Thursday said the bill had overwhelming bipartisan support, with over 75 percent of the Legislature signed on as co-sponsors, Smola said.
“We tried really hard in the state Legislature, but we couldn’t get it over the finish line,” Story said. She called the federal law “absurd.”
“Not everyone has a phone or a smartphone,” she said. “This needs to be clear enough so even if you’re not a great reader, you can read these for words that you’re looking for.”
Scibak questioned the intentions of the food industry.
“If you’re a food manufacturer who feels there is no problem using GMOs, then why don’t you want to label it?” he said.
Rochelle Prunty, general manager of River Valley Co-op, urged consumers to support those food producers who do label foods.
Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com