State GE labeling laws revoked?
This article was originally published in August 2016
Thank you to all PCC members who tried to help stop a bad bill that would revoke four state laws to label genetically engineered (GE) foods and any future attempts by other states for mandatory, on-package GE labeling. At press time, the bill from the U.S. Senate was expected to pass the House and be signed by the president.
We’re doing what we can to stop it but we want you to know that even if the president signs this bad bill into law, PCC Natural Markets will keep our pledge to identify GE foods in our stores by 2018. We are making good progress!
The bill moving toward the president’s desk is written to avoid transparency. The New York Times Editorial Board calls the measure a “flawed approach.”
Even the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) warns it would be difficult for any GE food to get labeled the way this bill is written. Glyphosate-ready crops, most Bt crops and even GE salmon could be exempt. So could soy and canola oil, sugar from GE sugar beets, corn syrup and foods produced with gene editing and nanotechnology.
The FDA also says an allowance for QR codes, 800 numbers or websites conflicts with FDA regulations for food information to be on food packages. It does not mandate recalls, penalties or fines for noncompliance.
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