Vermont Business Magazine Conagra has joined Kellogg's, Mars, General Mills and Campbell's Soup saying that it will label its products with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) nationwide in response to Vermont’s GMO labeling law, which goes into effect July 1. The US Senate on March 16 rejected a bill that would have prevented Vermont from implementing its GMO (aka, GE or Genetic Engineering) labeling law. Since then, major food producers have said they will label their foods. Campbell's made its announcement before the vote in January.
In the Senate's cloture vote on the bill, advocates of the Senate bill fell 12 votes short of achieving cloture to proceed to the bill, in a vote of 48 to 49. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) has led Vermont’s efforts in the Senate to protect Vermont’s GMO labeling law. Leahy is a leading member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Proponents of the anti-GMO labeling law would have needed 60 votes to move the bill forward. The Vermont GMO lableing bill was signed by Governor Peter Shumliin nearly two years ago.
Governor Shumlin signs the GMO labeling bill May 8 2014 at the State House. VBM file
Conagra (Hunt's, Slim Jim, Banquet, etc) said in a statement: "ConAgra Foods will begin adding labels to products nationwide by July 2016 to meet Vermont’s GMO labeling requirements. We stand behind the health and safety of all of our products, including those with genetically modified ingredients, and believe consumers should be informed as to what’s in their food. But addressing state-by-state labeling requirements adds significant complications and costs for food companies. With a multitude of other states currently considering different GMO labeling requirements, the need for a national, uniform approach in this area is as critical as ever. That’s why we continue to urge Congress to pass a national solution as quickly as possible."
Congra followed Mars Inc and The Kellogg Company, which announced Monday that they would also label its GMO products.
“This is great news," Shumlin said after General Mills made its announcement. "I want to thank General Mills for taking this common sense step that will give consumers of their products nationwide the basic right of knowing what is in the food they buy. This shows that the United States has the capacity to join the 64 other countries that already require GMO labeling. I urge other companies to follow the lead of General Mills and extend this right to their customers nationwide as well. While Monsanto and their allies continue working to derail Vermont’s law, I am encouraged that companies like General Mills and Campbell’s Soup are standing up and doing the right thing. It’s time for the rest of corporate America to break with Monsanto and give consumers the information they are demanding.
“People have the right to know what is in their food. I am so proud that Vermont is leading the country on this issue.”
Leahy said, “General Mills has joined Campbell Soup, another industry leader, in saying yes to disclosure. I applaud their decision in taking this commonsense and consumer-friendly step. Vermonters have long supported labeling, our fellow Americans agree, and Congress should do the same. We in Vermont are proud that our state’s law has been the catalyst that is moving us toward a uniform national standard. Our success this week in sidelining the Senate bill to nullify Vermont’s law has added to the momentum for the national labeling bill that Senator Merkley, I and others in the Senate have brought forward to settle this issue. The straightforward logic of our bill is that consumers have the right to know.”
Of the GMO bill defeat on Wednesday, Leahy said in a statement: “Today the Senate rejected a hasty and short-sighted effort to roll back Vermont’s GE labeling law. This was a hard-fought victory for Vermont, on our state’s right to honor Vermonters’ right to know what’s in the food they buy. Our defense of Vermont’s law has been fought with skill and determination in the courts, under the leadership of Governor Shumlin and others, and in the Congress.
Detail of Campbell Soup GMO label.
“Consumers everywhere simply have the right to know. We are not asking manufacturers to change their production processes. We are simply asking them to tell consumers what is in the products that go on store shelves. Vermont has led the way in this debate, as our state has in so many important national issues. This is a significant and hard-fought victory for Vermont, but this fight is not yet over. I hope that now we can all come together to find a path forward to a strong mandatory disclosure policy that can be applied across the board and across the nation. Vermont has done pioneering work on behalf of consumers, and Vermont’s law is a good place to start that national debate.”
Governor Peter Shumlin, who signed Vermont's GMO labeling bill into law in May 2014, said: “Today is a good day for Vermonters’ right to know what is in their food. I’m pleased that the US Senate did the right thing by rejecting the food industry’s effort to prevent Vermont from implementing our law. I want to thank Vermont’s congressional delegation for having Vermonters’ backs in Washington D.C. on this issue and so many others.
“Labeling GMOs is a common sense consumer right. Over 60 countries already require it. America has the moral imagination to join them, and I am so proud that Vermont is leading the way. The food industry, led by Monsanto, has left no stone unturned in their effort deny consumer rights and thwart Vermont’s law. Today’s effort in the US Senate was just the latest attempt. It will not be the last. Vermont will continue to fight to implement our law on July 1st and give consumers the right they are demanding.”
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), said: "I am pleased that Congress stood up to the demands of Monsanto and other multi-national food industry corporations and rejected this outrageous bill. Today’s vote was a victory for the American people over corporate interests.
“Sen. Roberts' legislation violates the will of the people of Vermont and the United States who overwhelmingly believe that genetically modified food should be labeled. Republicans like to talk about states’ rights, but now they are attempting to preempt the laws of Vermont and other states that seek to label GMOs.
"All over this country, people are becoming more conscious about the food they eat and the food they serve their kids. When parents go to the store and purchase food for their children, they have a right to know what they are feeding them. GMO labeling exists in 64 other countries. There is no reason it can’t exist here."
RELATED STORIES:
Leahy introduces GMO food labeling legislation
Leahy: On GMO labeling, consumers right to know, and the Senate’s 'Dark Act'
Governor Shumlin signs first-in-the-nation GMO foods labeling law
Food industry group to sue Vermont over GMO labeling law