More Than 1,100 Groups, Firms, Appeal For House Passage Of GMO Bill
Philip Brasher
Agri-Pulse
More than 1,100 organizations and companies are appealing to House leaders to pass legislation that would set national disclosure standards for genetically engineered ingredients.
The House is expected to vote on the Senate-passed bill later this week. Unless the bill is altered, House passage would send it to President Obama for his signature.
“It is vitally important for the House to call up and pass S. 764, the Senate-passed legislation on biotech disclosure, in order to avoid the economic costs of a patchwork of state laws that will directly impact consumers, farmers, and the entire food value chain,” says a letter to House GOP and Democratic leaders.
The 1,101 signers include national and state farm groups, food manufacturers, agribusiness companies, farm cooperatives, national and regional grocery chains and numerous small businesses, The numerous companies represented include Archer Daniels Midland Co., Costco, Del Monte Foods, DuPont, General Mills, Hormel Foods, Land O’ Lakes Inc., Monsanto Co., Nestle USA, PepsiCo Inc., The Kraft Heinz Co., Unilever and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The letter, organized by the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, goes on, “The U.S. agriculture and food industry creates over 17 million jobs, representing nearly 1 in 10 jobs. This very system-which produces the most abundant, the highest quality, and the most affordable food in the world-will be threatened with large economic costs without a national uniform solution on this issue.
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