With the start date of Vermont’s GMO labeling law less than two months away, we are continuing to fight efforts to weaken or preempt our law at both the state and federal level. Here in Vermont, efforts from within the State House to slow the implementation of Vermont’s labeling law were thwarted last week. Changes to the law were successfully limited to a provision in the budget that delays citizens’ rights to bring lawsuits under Act 120 for one year. Thankfully, this provision does not impact the law’s implementation date, or the Attorney General’s ability to enforce the law as it is written.
In D.C., Senate Agriculture Committee leadership, including Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), continue to work toward a “compromise” bill that would preempt Vermont’s law and rely on ineffective, anti-consumer QR codes rather than clear, on-package labeling. As a recent video released by Just Label It demonstrates, QR codes require shoppers to have a smartphone, the right application, good internet service, and the time to scan each product and visit companies’ websites to find out if their food contains GMOs. What we’re demanding instead are four simple words printed right on the package: Produced with Genetic Engineering.
You can help protect Vermont’s law from this sneaky federal “compromise.” Please take a moment to join Center for Food Safety in telling Senator Stabenow we won’t stand for QR codes!
Psssst..... Attention, farmers!
Do you support mandatory GMO labeling? Sign on to this letter from our friends at Environmental Working Group by May 9th to help fight efforts to preempt Vermont’s labeling law in Washington.