WASHINGTON, April 28, 2015— In a letter to House offices today, 373 producer groups, processors, biotech providers, and food companies representing the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food asked Congress members to support a bill that would provide federal food labeling standards for genetically engineered products.
Reps. Mike Pompeo, R-Kans., and G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., introduced H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, on March 25, to establish a voluntary, national labeling law for foods derived from genetically modified ingredients, or “GMOs”.
The bill also requires FDA to evaluate all genetically engineered foods before they enter the market, pre-empting any state mandatory laws for GMO labeling.
The bill “will ensure food labeling in the United States is uniform and science-based,” the groups said. Encouraging members of the House to co-sponsor and support the bill, the letter said the legislation would improve clarity for foods carrying a GMO-free label and provide uniform rules by creating a national certification program for foods that have been produced without bioengineering.
The groups asked that Congress pass the bill this year “to ensure people across our nation continue to have access to consistent science-based standards for food labeling.”
“By putting a stop to the patchwork of state-based labeling requirements, the [bill] will protect consumers from unpredictable price variations and protect farmers and food manufacturers from having to contend with inconsistent and costly regulations,” the letter said.
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