Last week, a GMO labeling bill was introduced as the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014 (H.R. 4432). What may sound like a welcomed effort to enhance transparency in grocery aisles is in fact an attempt by large food, chemical, and biotechnology firms to further reduce the chances that consumers will see GMOs labeled in the U.S. As written, the bill mandates voluntary GMO labeling, and would also:
- Preempt states from enacting their own GMO labeling laws
- Preempt the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from requiring GMO labeling
- Require FDA to define the term “natural” and allow GMO ingredients in “natural” foods
- Tie the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) hands from instituting systems to allow absence claims, such as “non-GMO”
This legislation takes the opposite approach to labeling that Americans have asked for, and has therefore been dubbed the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act. If you’re one of the 93% of Americans who support labeling GMO ingredients, call your representative today and urge him/her to reject H.R. 4422. You can also send an email here.
