A bill to prevent states from requiring labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms could allow GMO foods to be marketed as “natural,” opponents claimed ahead of a committee vote scheduled for today on the bill. The Just Label It campaign said the language was a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers. The bill directs the FDA to propose definitions of “natural” food within 18 months. The definitions would cover wording such as “100 percent natural,” “all natural” and “made with natural ingredients.”
The main points of the bill are to pre-empt state regulation of GMO foods, keep labeling voluntary at the federal level and put the USDA in charge of a system to certify non-GMO foods. Companies would pay a fee for the certification.
Ten of the 45 members of the House Agriculture Committee are sponsors of the legislation and the chairman, Michael Conaway, opposes state labeling, so approval is expected.
Agri-Pulse said the bill was revised to ensure milk could be certified as non-GMO only if the cows are fed non-GMO grain. Similar language would apply to non-GMO meat. Agri-Pulse quoted an agribusiness leader as saying the language resulted from negotiations with the organic food industry.
Vermont’s first-in-the-nation GMO label law is due to take effect next July 1.