Dive Brief:
- Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) has introduced a bill that would require the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a national voluntary GMO labeling standard, thereby pre-empting state mandatory labeling initiatives, such as the law going into effect in Vermont this July.
- The bill resembles the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 that the House passed last year. Opponents have referred to both bills as the DARK Act (Deny Americans the Right to Know). The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee will markup the draft legislation Thursday.
- In other GMO labeling matters, Washington's attorney general has alleged that GMA secretly funded its multimillion dollar campaign that narrowly defeated a GMO labeling initiative. He called it an "elaborate scheme" that illegally hid the names of donors, while narrowing in on the GMA's $11 million "Defense of Brands" fund.
Dive Insight:
GMA revealed its donors and contribution amounts, documents last week. But that didn't satisfy the attorney general, who introduced the case in 2013 and is seeking $14 million. The top five contributors were PepsiCo, Nestle USA, General Mills, Coca-Cola, and ConAgra. GMA contends that its actions were legal under Washington state laws and has filed a motion for summary judgment to have the lawsuit dismissed.
The sense of urgency regarding GMO labeling is rippling through the food industry. Manufacturers are concerned about complying with Vermont's requirements.
Much of the industry, represented by the Grocery Manufacturers Association, supports voluntary labeling legislation. Campbell recently stood out when it publicly backed mandatory GMO labeling initiatives. The company furthered its commitment by agreeing to label GMO ingredients in its products before any labeling legislation passes.
Supporters of this bill praise the legislation for meeting "an urgent need to avoid the inevitable chaos the food industry faces" if states continue to pass mandatory labeling legislation, the Food Marketing Institute said in a statement. Opponents believe that "voluntary disclosures will simply perpetuate the status quo that has left consumers in the dark," as Gary Hirshberg, chairman of Just Label It and Stonyfield Farm, said in an emailed statement.