Vermonters Agree to GMO labeling Law

Details: Created on Friday, 22 April 2016 21:33; Written by Dylan Robichaud

Northeast Kingdom-On July 1st 2016 Vermonters will be more educated about what’s in their food. The GMO Labeling Law goes into full effect, meaning that all food that is made using Genetically Modified organisms will be labeled.

¨Vermonters have long supported labeling, our fellow Americans agree, and Congress should do the same,” said Senator Patrick Leahy after General Mills recently announced it would voluntarily label it´s products. ¨We in Vermont are proud that our state has been the catalyst that is moving us toward a uniform national standard.”

Genetically Modified Organisms is when a gene from one organism is artificially used to help the growth and development of another organism. These GMO's protect crops from being susceptible to pests which otherwise could hurt the growth of the crop, however, Consumers fear this artificial insemination of chemicals can change the nutritional value of the product and perhaps make them dangerous to consumers.

¨I think the GMO labeling law is a good thing, “said Walter Jefferies, Owner of Sugar Mountain Farm in West Topsham Vermont. ¨I want to know as a consumer what’s in my food and I don't appreciate GMO´s.¨

According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, an estimated 70% to 80% of food in the United States contains some form of GMO´s. The law will affect companies who produce corn, soybeans, canola, or sugar beets.

Some scrutinize the idea of labeling saying it will cost to much money for companies to reliable all their products, therefore, The House of Representatives recently passed the ¨DARK ACT¨ (Deny Americans Right to Know) which is an act which would prevent the Food and Drug Administration from mandating national labeling.

¨The charge that labeling will cost companies, and hence consumers, is just not accurate,” said Carolyn Partridge, Chairwoman of the House Committee on Agriculture. ¨Labels are charged all the time- just take a look at soda cans and cereal boxes that change based on the holiday season. It should not be a problem, especially, for the multi-nationals that sell their products in the 64 other countries that require labeling because they are already doing it, “she said. ¨As we get closer to the July 1st date for labeling, prepare to hear more outrageous claims backed up by studies paid for by the very entities that don't want to label. ¨

However, the biggest question is how will consumers react to the change.

¨I think it´ll make it so that people buy more organic and non-GMO foods, ¨ Jefferies said. ¨The ingredients list that we already have on foods tells me if there´s Monosodium Glutamate in there, it tells me if there's nitrates in there, well now it also tells me about the GMO´s. ¨

Jefferies, who raises cattle herself, is less concerned with the health implications than she is with the potential economic impacts of GMO´s.

¨There are a lot of issues beyond health, ¨ she said. What GMO's have done is they have allowed certain companies to have monopolies on things, and that's destroying the whole feed industry. It´s making it so we have more of a monoculture and that´s a bad thing. ¨