Lawyers for the Grocery Manufacturers Association will make a last-ditch attempt on Thursday to prevent Vermont’s first-in-the-name GMO food labeling law from taking effect. says Food Navigator. A federal district judge refused to issue an injunction so GMA will present arguments to the U.S. appeals court in New York City. Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell will defend the law. The Vermont law would take effect next July 1. The food industry says companies will face high costs, beginning in coming months, to change their labels to comply with the law and assure that correctly labeled goods are delivered to Vermont.
The food industry also is seeking a federal law to pre-empt state labeling laws for GMO foods and to keep labeling voluntary on the federal level. The House passed a pre-emption bill during the summer but the Senate has not acted on it yet. The Senate Agriculture Committee has scheduled a hearing for Oct 21 on federal regulation of agricultural biotechnology.