Dive Brief:
- GMO labeling legislation has come into the spotlight again, including both the Vermont and national level labeling laws.
- The Grocery Manufacturers Association went before a federal district court judge this week to present its arguments against Vermont's GMO labeling law, the first set to go into effect at the state level, planned for July 1.
- The GMA and other food and agricultural entities still support the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which would create a national voluntary GMO labeling standard and passed the House over the summer, but the bill still does not have a Democratic co-sponsor in the Senate.
Dive Insight:
In support of GMO labeling rights for states, 95 lawmakers representing 21 states wrote a joint letter urging Congress not to pass the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act or any other legislation that would preempt states' laws in terms of GMO labeling. They fear such a law would allow food companies to "create a false market for their products, one based on deception and lack of transparency," the letter read.
However, some in the food industry feel that allowing states to create their own GMO labeling laws would create a patchwork of laws that would be difficult for food companies to navigate. There's fear the costs associated with mandatory labeling requirements. Others also feel they would lose customers if forced to label their products as containing GMOs. One study released earlier this year found that would not necessarily be the case.
The non-GMO food and beverage market is growing quickly, generating about $200 billion in U.S. sales last year. There are about 2,000 non-GMO product launches per year in the U.S., a significant increase from just a few hundred launches per year a decade ago.