American Seed Trade Association Issues Position on GMO Label

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Over the last few years a considerable amount of time and money has been spent fighting state-based GMO labeling initiatives. As many of you are aware, groups in DC including ASTA have argued that a patchwork of state labeling regulations would mislead consumers, raise the price of groceries for American families and do nothing to ensure food safety.

ASTA, BIO and NGFA and 30 other groups have joined the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association to support federal legislation to address the proliferation of state initiatives. The legislation will seek to:

Eliminate Confusion: Remove the confusion and uncertainty of a 50 state patchwork of GMO safety and labeling laws and affirm the FDA as the nation's authority for the use and labeling of genetically modified food ingredients.

Advance Food Safety: Require the FDA to conduct a safety review of all new GMO traits before they are introduced into commerce. FDA will be empowered to mandate the labeling of GMO food ingredients if the agency determines there is a health, safety or nutrition issue with GMO technology.

Inform Consumers: The FDA will establish federal standards for companies that want to voluntarily label their product for the absence-of or presence-of GMO food ingredients so that consumers clearly understand their choices in the marketplace.

Provide Consistency: The FDA will define the term "natural" for its use on food and beverage products so that food and beverage companies and consumers have a consistent legal framework that will guide food labels and inform consumer choice.

Basic talking points are on the coalition website: http://coalitionforsafeaffordablefood.org/support-federal-solution

The bill will be introduced as early as next week. The names of bill co-sponsors and the date of introduction are still fluid. The bill will be sponsored by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. When the bill is introduced, it will be important for offices to hear from constituents in favor of the bill. We know they will be getting thousands of calls from groups opposed to the bill. We will let you know as soon as the bill is introduced and provide you with a sample e-mail to send to members of that committee.

In the meantime, if you haven't already checked out http://GMOAnswers.com, it is a tremendous resource for information on biotechnology. Attached are answers to the top 10 ten questions the website has received.
Please don't hesitate to be in touch with questions.

The letter is signed by Pat Miller and Jane DeMarchi, who together, constitute the Government Affairs staff of the American Seed Trade Association.

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Editor's Note: We applaud the position and not just because the Texas Seed Trade Association is on record as supporting this initiative and the principle of a national standard for GMO labeling but because it's the right thing to do. If we are to have labeling, and we will eventually, it cannot be state by state but rather must adhere to some national standard. We also fully support that labeling must be voluntary. Recently the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued an opinion fully agreeing that any federal GMO labeling guidelines be voluntary.

Several weeks ago we weren't sure how much "traction" this initiative had but surely it is more now considering the level of support that has joined the National Grocery Manufacturer's Association. Please do whatever you can to support this important legislation!

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