The National Fisheries Institute and a number of other U.S. food and agriculture organizations expressed their support for new proposed federal legislation to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food products.
Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) introduced the bipartisan Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act on Tuesday.
“The introduction of the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act was an important first step to restoring sanity to America’s food labeling laws,” said Martin Barbre, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “A federal solution on GMO labeling will bolster consumer confidence in the safety of American food, while giving farmers and food producers the certainty we need to continue providing safe, affordable food for America’s families.”
NFI also supports federal legislaton, rather than the current “patchwork” of GMO labeling regulations in several states, Gavin Gibbons, NFI director of media relations, told SeafoodSource.
“We want to provide consistency, not confusion. So many states are getting into disrupting commerce without improving food safety, so we support federal legislation,” Gibbons said. GMO labels should not be added to food products, according to the NFI. “The Food and Drug Administration has said there aren’t food safety issues related to GMOs. If there are not food safety issues, we don’t think a label belongs on it,” Gibbons said. “Besides, there are some estimates that as much as 80 percent of foods on our shelves already contain a GMO ingredient.”
The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act will affirm the FDA as the nation’s authority for the use and labeling of GMOs. It will also require the FDA to approve all new GMO ingredients before they are brought to market and will set a federal standard for the labeling definition of “natural” foods.
The legislation also allows the FDA to establish federal standards for companies that want to voluntarily label their products for the absence-of or presence-of GMO food ingredients.
“It will require that the FDA review all new GMO traits for safety, and stipulate that the FDA require labels for any product that has a safety or health risk. It will allow companies to voluntarily label foods as non-GMO and enable those consumers who wish purchase non-GMO foods to do so,” said Ray Gaesser, president of the American Soybean Association.
“Importantly, however, it won't force consumers to pay more for food just because some interests want to require mandatory labeling of safe and healthy foods made with GMOs,” Gaesser added.
