Agricultural News
Farmer Co-ops Applaud Introduction of The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act
Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:53:40 CDT
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) today applauded the introduction of The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, by Representatives Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.). The legislation would provide federal standards for the safety and labeling of food products containing genetically modified ingredients (GMOs).
"This legislation is vital to giving America's farmers certainty about what the rules of the game will be when it comes to labeling foods containing GMOs, an issue that cries out for a national solution. A 50-state patchwork of different labeling laws and regulations would not only burden farmers and food producers but would cause significant confusion among consumers at grocery stores across the country," said Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. "I would like to thank both Congressman Pompeo and Congressman Butterfield for their leadership on this issue, and I look forward to working with them as the process moves forward."
The bill would set a new, voluntary federal framework allowing food manufacturers to label products made without GMO ingredients; would put in place a mandatory review by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) of the safety of new GMO foods entering the marketplace; and establish new guidelines for the use of the word "natural" on food labels.
"Growers and farmer co-ops across the U.S. have embraced biotechnology as a way to increase yields in an environmentally and economically sustainable way; we only have to look to the drought of two years ago to see the benefits that many of these crops provide," continued Conner. "With a world population headed to 9 billion people by 2050, GMO crops will play a key role in feeding the future. This bill represents an important step in cutting through the misinformation about GMOs and instead focuses on the science attesting to their safety and the benefits these crops provide."
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