The Vermont House of Representative passed the bill
114-30. Last week, the Vermont Senate, by a vote of 28-2, approved
the measure, which requires foods containing GMOs sold at retail
outlets to be labeled as having been produced or partially produced
with "genetic engineering."
"Vermont's leading the nation on this, giving consumers basic
information about the food that they are eating," said Falko
Schilling, a spokesman for the Vermont Public Interest Research
Group, which backed the bill.
The Vermont bill also makes it illegal to describe any food product
containing GMOs as "natural" or "all natural."
Unlike bills passed last year in Maine and Connecticut, which
require other states to pass GMO labeling laws before they can be
enacted, Vermont's contains no such trigger clause. The law would
take effect July 1, 2016.
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Backers of the law said they expect Governor Peter Shumlin to sign
it. Shumlin's office did not immediately comment.
The developers of genetically modified crops and the $360 billion
U.S. packaged food industry are pushing for passage of a bill in
Congress that would nullify any state law to require labeling of
foods made with such crops.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more
than two dozen states are considering GMO labeling bills.
Some of the most widely-used GM crops are corn, soybeans and canola,
staple ingredients in packaged foods.
Consumer groups say labeling is needed because of questions about
the safety of GM crops for human health and for the environment.
Last October, a group of 93 international scientists said there was
a lack of empirical and scientific evidence to support what they
said were false claims by the biotech industry about a "consensus"
on safety. It said more independent research is needed and studies
showing safety tend to be funded and backed by the biotech industry.
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GMO crop developers such as Monsanto and their backers say
genetically modified crops have been overwhelmingly proven safe.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association said Wednesday it was
evaluating whether to sue to try to stop "this misguided
legislation." Consumers can buy organic foods if they want to avoid
GMOs, the group said.
"GM crops are safe and have important benefits for people and our
planet," the GMA said in a statement. "The government therefore has
no compelling interest in warning consumers about foods containing
GM ingredients..."
(Reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City;
additional reporting by
Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; editing by Nick Zieminski and Grant
McCool)
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