Senate Passes National Biotech Labeling Solution

The U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation that would federally preempt a potential patchwork of differing state laws regarding the labeling of human food and animal feed containing biotechnology-enhanced ingredients by a 63-30 vote on July 7.

Developed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the legislation would provide certainty by preempting Vermont's mandatory GMO labeling law, which went into effect earlier this month, in favor of a uniform national standard that would provide an efficient mechanism for consumers who wish to know more about food products, including the biotech content of food. Easy access to this information will be disclosed on products without forcing other consumers to incur exponential increases in food costs.

The bill will now pass to the House of Representatives for their vote, expected at the end of this week. The House approved a more comprehensive GE labeling bill, one calling for voluntary label disclosure and setting standards for “non-GMO” labeling, earlier this year, but is expected to take up the Senate bill.