House Agriculture Approves Bill to Create Labeling Standards for GM Foods
The House Agriculture Committee approved legislation on July 14 to unify federal labeling regulations on foods produced with genetically engineered plants, including imports. The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 aims to “provide for a system of orderly marketing of agricultural products through the development of national, enforceable standards for labeling claims,” said the committee (here). Committee lawmakers approved the bill as a substitute (here). Reps. Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas, and G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., introduced the original legislation (here) in March.
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The bill would make it illegal to enter into interstate commerce a “nonregulated genetically engineered plant” for use in food or a food that consists of such a plant, unless industry obtains specific approvals from the Agriculture and the Health and Human Services departments. The legislation also provides a path for Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration to waive those restrictions. Labels would have to contain a “statement to adequately inform consumers” of the genetic differences of the foods compared to similar foods.
The legislation would ultimately establish a national certification program for foods produced without genetically modified plants. Agriculture officials would implement the new regulations through the federal rulemaking process, and public commenting periods will be available, the committee said. The Agriculture Department would also create a national registry for every "nonregulated genetically engineered plant."
The program uses the National Organic Program as a model, added the committee statement. The new regulations would apply in full to imported foods, but the legislation provides a similar off-ramp for certain foods produced from genetically modified plants. ‘‘Imported covered products may be sold or labeled as produced with or without the use of genetic engineering if the Secretary determines that such products have been produced and handled under a genetic engineering certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines,” says the legislation.