Sunday, August 7, 2016

Obama signs law that overturns GMO labeling

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Whoa, I dodged another Native. Veto.
Earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fast-tracked a controversial piece of legislation aimed at overturning and preempting state laws for labeling foods made with genetically modified ingredients.

muffinscompThe Senate passed the bill without going through committee or debate, and then the House okayed it without changing a word. Now comes confirmation from the White House that President Obama has signed the legislation into law.

bunscompThe law, S. 764 (read below for the bizarre history of this particular shell of a bill), doesn’t just overturn existing state labeling laws in Vermont and elsewhere -- even though companies like Campbell Soup, Mars Inc., PepsiCo, Nestlé, and General Mills have already started labeling their products nationwide.

soupscompIt also directs the Secretary of Agriculture to eventually -- at some point in two to three years -- come up with a national labeling standard.
 
However, that standard could be incredibly weak and provide virtually no information to consumers, argue opponents of the law. More

GMO label samples from Vermont store shelves (click to enlarge):
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