It's a Go for Labeling GMO's
- Details
- Created on Friday, 25 April 2014 17:46
- Written by Alex Farnworth
VERMONT - The only thing between Vermont and becoming the first state to require labelng of a genetically modified organism (GMO) in food is a pending signature from Governor Peter Shumlin. Both the Senate and the House support the passing of the bill, however, some of the locals don't see it the same way.
State Representative Connie Quimby of Concord is one of the congressmen in the area who disagrees with the new bill. "I support the idea of that we have a right to know what is in our food, but I can't support a bill that undoubtedly will cost the taxpayers of Vermont millions of dollars."
On the flipside, Quimby is elated and "proud of Vermont for being the first state in the nation to ensure that Vermonters will know what is in their food."
Knowing what is in their food is one thing, but getting the food is another problem altogether. "My suppliers that I buy food from, I've been making the move and the shift to sell nothing but GMOs but it's damn near impossible to get products that can be guaranteed GMO-free," said Ramunto's owner Mike Heath.
There are many obstacles in this process and will take a lot of adjusting-to in the future. Some gray area lies between three parties; the locals, the government and the food industry. Even if Vermonters have a right to know what's in their food, the Food and Drug (FDA) doesn't require the labeling of GMO products. Most food distributors throughout Vermont already label their food if it's "certified organic," which proves that the the product isn't genetically modified.
Representative Connie Quimby suggested a few alternatives to the situation by saying to "Only label the fifteen percent of foods that are non-GMO [organic],as opposed to [labeling] the eighty-five percent that aren't.
Maine and Connecticut have already passed GMO bills in the past, but due to stipulations and causes in the bill, those states cannot enforce the ruling until the summer of 2016. Governor Shumlin plans to make Vermont the first state to enforce the act.
On Wednesday, Shumlin tweeted, "The Leg. has spoken: #Vt'ers deserve to know what is in their food. I agree and look forward to signing the #GMO labeling bill into law."
