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Ag coalition urges GMO bill passage

Nearly 500 member groups of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food sent a letter to Congress urging members to support the federal, voluntary GMO labeling bill that passed the House Ag Committee last week.

They say the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act would “put a stop to the patchwork of state-based labeling requirements”, protect consumers from price variations and protect farmers and food manufacturers from “having to contend with inconsistent and costly regulations.” Numerous state Farm Bureau associations along with the national Farm Bureau are among the groups that signed the letter.

But, National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson says the legislation must be mandatory to be in line with NFU policy. Johnson says they appreciate the efforts of the bill’s sponsors, Mike Pompeo of Kansas and Rodney Davis of Illinois, but says there must be “some common ground that includes some form of mandatory disclosure” to benefit consumers. He says this GMO bill is not that common ground.