Tag: GMO
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U.S. Senate Rejects Farm Bill Amendment on GM Labeling
The U.S. Senate has reportedly rejected by a vote of 71 to 27 a Farm Bill amendment that would have clarified the right of states to enact laws requiring special labeling for food and beverages manufactured with genetically modified (GM) ingredients. Co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley…
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Center for Food Safety Publishes “Guide to Food Industry Front Groups”
Public interest advocacy organization the Center for Food Safety has issued a report titled “Best Public Relations Money Can Buy: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups,” authored by food activist and attorney Michele Simon. The report describes what front groups are and how they purportedly function, drawing parallels with a cigarette industry trade group,…
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More States Consider GM Labeling Bills, Sunstein Deems Them Unnecessary
The Vermont House of Representatives has passed a bill (H. 112) that would require labeling of foods with genetically modified (GM) ingredients. According to the legislative findings recited in the proposal, “There is a lack of consensus regarding the validity of the research and science surrounding the safety of genetically engineered foods, as indicated by the…
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GE Labeling Bills Introduced in U.S. House and Senate
U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Or.) have introduced companion bills (S. 809; H.R. 1699) that would amend the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the makers of genetically engineered (GE) foods and foods with GE ingredients to include this information on their labels. Noting that the Food and Drug…
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Court Tentatively Rejects “All Natural” Ice Cream Suit Settlement
A federal court in California has issued a tentative rejection of a settlement reached in a putative class action alleging that Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. falsely claims that its ice cream is all natural despite containing genetically modified ingredients. Tobin v. Conopco Inc., No. 12-5881 (N.D. Cal., notice filed April 15, 2013). The court’s…
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GMO Panel Member Calls for Transparency of Biosafety Data
In a recent paper, a member of European Food Safety Authority and Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety genetically modified organism (GMO) panels has explored whether biosafety data provided to regulatory authorities by companies developing GMOs should be protected from disclosure. K.M. Nielsen, “Biosafety Data as Confidential Business Information,” PLOS Biology, 2013. Noting that standards…
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Continuing Appropriations Bill Includes GE Crop, Meatpacker, Poultry Riders
Among other measures added to the six-month Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013 signed into law by President Barack Obama (D) on March 26, 2013, are a number of provisions—or “riders”—that apparently either override previously adopted laws or require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ignore judicial rulings on challenges to the…
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GMO Labeling Legislation Proceeds in Vermont Legislature
Vermont’s House Agriculture Committee has reportedly passed by an 8-3 vote legislation (H.112) that would require producers to label raw agricultural and processed food products that are genetically engineered. Milk, meat and ready-to-eat foods would be exempt from the labeling. The bill now moves to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. If passed, the legislation…