USDA publishes new proposed rule on GMO labeling
Date:05-07-2018
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting public comment on a new proposed rule published in the Federal Register on Friday that would create a uniform national standard for food manufacturers and other firms that label food packaging to reveal whether ingredients and foods are “bioengineered” or not.
Known as The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS), the creation of the labeling standards was mandated by a 2016 Federal law. More than 120,000 comments from industry, regulators, and other stakeholders were reviewed as part of the drafting of the proposed rule.
“This rulemaking presents several possible ways to determine what foods will be covered by the final rule and what the disclosure will include and look like,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a USDA press release. “We are looking for public input on a number of these key decisions before a final rule is issued later this year.”
Among the various points open for commentary, the first draft of the USDA rule opted to use “bioengineered (BE) food” in lieu of “genetically modified organism,” or GMO. There is also a major question of exactly what foods should be covered by the law.
Those interested in contributing feedback on the USDA’s proposed rule have a 60-day period (ending July 3) to submit their comments through
regulations.gov or by mail.
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