Congress inched closer Wednesday to setting a national standard for labeling genetically modified foods. Surprising many, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee said she is committed to getting a GMO labeling bill passed by the end of this year. Harvest Public Media’s Peggy Lowe reports.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan says most consumers care deeply about where their food comes from. But she doesn’t want a patchwork of laws passed in states across the country.
“I share the concern about the difficulty in doing business across our country if 50 different states have 50 different standards and requirements," Stabenow says. "And frankly, it won’t work.”
The House passed a bill in July that outlaws all state GMO label laws, including those already approved in Vermont, Maine and Connecticut. Many labeling advocates don’t like that bill because it simply sets up a voluntary system.
