Christopher Doering reported on Friday at The Des Moines Register Online that, “As soon as next week, the House could consider a Senate bill requiring labeling of foods with genetically modified ingredients, the chairman of the chamber’s Agriculture Committee said Friday.
“Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Texas, said he would support the bill even though it is ‘riddled with ambiguity.’ He has sought insight from the Agriculture Department on how it would implement the law.
“‘It is my expectation that this legislation will be considered on the House floor next week, and it is my intention to support this bill,’ Conaway said.”
Mr. Doering noted that, “The House has a week to consider the measure before going on a summer recess though Labor Day. Alternately, House members could try to iron out differences between their version of the bill, approved last year, and the Senate bill.
“The Senate version would block states from implementing their own labeling rules and override Vermont’s law that went into effect July 1.”
The Register article explained that, “Under the Senate legislation, major food makers would have three options to notify consumers if a product contains GMO ingredients: words, a symbol created by the Agriculture Department, or an electronic option such as a QR code consumers could scan with a smartphone.
“Small food manufacturers could simply list websites or telephone numbers, while those defined as very small, along with restaurants, would be exempt…[T]he House version of the bill would make it optional for companies to label products with GMO ingredients and would ban states from putting in place their own labeling laws.”
