A bill to allow FDA's food and feed safety and warning labeling rules to preempt state regulations has passed the U.S. House, overcoming significant and often emotional opposition. On a 238-139 vote, the National Uniformity Act for Food would prohibit states from imposing food safety and warning labels unless they followed federal labeling rules. The bill's chances in the Senate are unclear given the level of opposition generated in the House.
The bill says the federal labeling regs are the law of the land unless a state petitions FDA to accept a local regulation or there is an absence of a federal rule. Opponents said the cost alone of petitioning FDA would approach $400,000. While opposition consumer groups and state attorneys general and food and feed regulators -- said the bill would override 200 state laws that provide consumers with important food safety information, proponents, including food processors, livestock and poultry producer groups and agribusiness, said that assertion is exaggerated and the bill will bring consistency to warning label regulation, allowing states and the federal government to collaborate on labeling.