Food Labels
GMO foods could be “natural” under House pre-emption bill
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.
House Agriculture takes the lead against GMO food labels
The House Agriculture Committee, a stronghold for conventional agriculture, will act first in Congress to prevent states from requiring labels on food made with genetically modified organisms.
After House hustle, a Senate lull for GMO pre-emption bill
The House passed, by a 2-to-1 margin, a bill to pre-empt states from requiring special labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms and sent the legislation to the Senate, where its chief backer says "it's a work in progress" and far from ready for action.
As House votes on GMO pre-emption, Senate in spotlight
By all accounts, the Republican-controlled House will pass HR 1599 today to pre-empt states from requiring special labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms.
Pompeo says ‘no choices taken away’ by GMO pre-emption bill
Opponents will get one clear chance during House debate to torpedo a Republican-backed bill that would pre-empt state laws that require special labels on food made with genetically modified organisms, the Rules Committee decided on a party-line vote.
New York proposes high-salt warnings for menus
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city's Health Commission unveiled a plan that would require restaurant chains and movie theaters to label items as "high in sodium" if they contain more than 2,300 milligrams of salt, says the Fooducate blog of the New York Times.
House GOP plans to pass GMO pre-emption bill this week
FDA sets three-year phase-out for trans fats in food
Foodmakers will have three years to phase out the use of partially hydrogenated oils, the primary source of artificial trans fats, said the Food and Drug Administration. The agency said "a thorough review of the scientific evidence" showed the materials should not be part of the diet. The agency tentatively ruled in 2013 that artificial trans fats should be banned. It said it finalized that determination after considering public comments on the issue.
House Commerce chairman backs state GMO preemption
The chairman of the House Energy and Commerce gave his support to legislation that would bar states from requiring labels on food made with genetically modified organisms and keep labeling voluntary on the federal level. In a statement, chairman Fred Upton thanked the Agriculture Committee "for working with us to get this bill through the House." The preemption bill is being handled by Upton's committee. Support by a chairman smooths the way for legislation.
Groups seeking GMO-label laws target glyphosate
The Just Label It campaign for mandatory labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms "rolled out a trio of academics on Wednesday in a bid to raise public awareness of the public health and environmental costs of herbicides used in the production of genetically engineered crops," said Agri-Pulse.
Nearly 300 groups say no to COOL repeal
Ahead of the House vote on repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labels (COOL) on beef, pork and chicken sold in grocery stores, 283 labor, small-farm, environmental and religious groups published a joint letter asking lawmakers to keep the labeling law in force. "Consumers want more information about their food, not less," said the Consumer Federation of America. R-CALF USA, a cattle-ranchers group, said repeal would "reward the powerful meatpacker lobby" and be a capitulation to threats by Canada and Mexico of retaliatory tariffs.
Crucial House vote near on repeal of meat-origin labeling
The House could vote as early as Wednesday on repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labels (COOL) on packages of beef, pork and chicken sold in grocery stores. Meatpackers and the largest cattle and hog groups, who opposed COOL from the start, have their best chance in years to get rid of it. The World Trade Organization has issued a final ruling against COOL as a barrier to imported meat and livestock.
Canada, Mexico ask $3.7 billion in retaliation for U.S. label law
Canada and Mexico said they will ask the WTO approval for $3.7 billion in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods in their latest response to a U.S. meat-labeling law. "The only way for the United States to avoid billions in immediate retaliation is to repeal COOL," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz of Canada, referring to the country-of-origin labeling law. The U.S. House could vote as early as next week on a bill to repeal COOL for beef, pork and chicken, the three most widely consumed meats.
“Repeal of mandatory COOL is the surest way,” says Roberts
Warning of retaliatory tariffs of more than $3 billion, Senate Agriculture chairman Pat Roberts said, "Repeal of mandatory COOL is the surest way to protect the U.S. economy." Farm and industry groups generally joined the call for repeal during an Agriculture Committee hearing on the impact of a WTO ruling that U.S. country-of-origin labels (COOL) on packages of beef and pork violate world trade rules by discouraging imports from Canada and Mexico.
Key senator proposes voluntary origin labels for beef and pork
The United States can avoid billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs by switching to voluntary country-of-origin labels (COOL) for beef and pork, said the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
State lawmakers throttle back on GE food labeling
After Vermont's enactment of the first-in-the-nation labeling law for genetically engineered foods in 2014, state legislatures are comparatively quiet on the issue this year. Only four items were enacted during sessions that ended this spring and two of them were resolutions, from Idaho and North Dakota, that ask Congress to ensure there is a uniform national standard for labeling, says the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Bill for voluntary GMO labeling to be unveiled today
Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo called a news conference for today to unveil a bill that would block states from requiring special labels on food made with genetically modified organisms, and keep labeling voluntary on the federal level.
COOL repeal bill could get House vote in early June
After a landslide 38-6 vote in committee, Agriculture chairman Michael Conaway said the House might vote in early June on legislation to repeal mandatory country-of-origin labels (COOL) for beef, pork and chicken. The Agriculture Committee voted for repeal two days after the WTO ruled the labeling system is a barrier to livestock imports. COOL has been mandatory for U.S. meat since 2008.
DC’s food lobby splinters amid squabbles
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, a giant among trade groups, is beginning to bleed members, with Nestlé the latest foodmaker to pull out, says Politico. "Complacency and a lack of leadership" at GMA are a factor, along with the hurly-burly of competing for sales in an evolving marketplace, it says.