On June 23, 2016, Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and Senator
Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) reached an agreement to solve the
state-by-state labeling requirement for genetically modified foods
(also referred to as genetically modified organisms, or GMOs) by
setting a mandatory uniform national standard for biotechnology
labeling of food. The senators' proposed bill would give several options to
food manufacturers to comply with the mandatory disclosure
requirements. The options include adding to the package certain
text, a symbol, or an electronic link to a website. In the last
case, the bill states the package could not include any denigrating
text toward biotechnology and would require the use of the
descriptive language, "Scan here for more food
information." Very small companies would be exempt from
compliance with the mandatory labeling requirement, and small
companies would have the alternative of including a toll-free
number and website instead of using a digital code. The disclosure
requirement would apply to all human food, including some meat and
poultry products, but would exclude foods where meat, poultry, and
egg products are the main ingredient, or foods that are derived
from an animal that ate bioengineered food. The mandatory
requirements would also apply to dietary supplements. The bill also
states that products certified GMO by USDA could be labeled as
non-GMO, but products that are exempt from disclosure under the
bill would not automatically be allowed to make non-biotech claims
on their food.
The bill will need to pass the Agriculture Committee, the full
Senate, and the U.S. House, which passed a bill last July establishing a
voluntary labeling system for GMO foods. If the bill is finally
approved, it will preempt other similar state laws, such as Vermont's law, which entered into force on
July 1, 2016.
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