New York considering GMO labeling bill

New York's state legislature is the latest to consider a GMO-labeling bill. Legislation has been introduced in both the Assembly and the State Senate which is similar to the Vermont law.

Foods which contain any genetically modified ingredients would be required to say-so on the label. Meat and milk products and restaurants would be exempt.

Rick Zimmerman has worked with the New York Farm Bureau and the State Department of Agriculture and is now a private lobbyist. He says a number of New York legislators signed-on to the legislation thinking it was a consumer's right to know.

Zimmerman says it is particularly challenging in New York where a large majority of the state's population is urban; "so we are challenged by educating a lot of lawmakers about what's really going on here."

He says it is much easier to create a fear than to explain a truth. Zimmerman believes there are a number of lawmakers who are having "second thoughts" once they understand GMOs.

Zimmerman says this is a very emotional issue and is an instance where the agriculture industry needs to stand up and be as transparent as possible about "why we are doing what we are doing." He says we cannot underestimate the importance of this issue, "we need to be able to continue to use biotechnology." Zimmerman talks about the issue:

Alex Beauchamp is the Northeast Director for Food and Water Watch, he says the GMO-labeling movement is gaining momentum across the country following the "Vermont victory" and they hope they can get the New York to be the next state to do it.

He agrees that a one national labeling law would be better than a patchwork of state laws but doesn't believe Washington is ready to do it. He says most consumer legislation "bubbles-up from the state level first" and then the Federal Government follows suit.

Supporters of labeling contend the consumer has a right to know what is in their food. It may be a health issue, it may be an environmental concern, religious concern, an ethical concern; "We just believe we need to give people the information and let them choose for themselves." Beauchamp's comments:

Both bills are in committees right now, Beauchamp hopes the Assembly bill will get to the floor of the chamber. Both he and Zimmerman think any action in the Senate is doubtful before the current session ends on June 17th. If they do not get to the floor, the bills would have to go through the committee process again in the next session.