State lawmakers ask Congress to oppose bill to preempt state GMO labeling laws

A bipartisan group of 95 state lawmakers (representing 21 states) who have either sponsored state GMO labeling bills, or supported state GMO labeling ballot initiatives or bans on GMO crops, have signed on to a joint letter asking Congress to oppose H.R. 1599, or any other federal law that would preempt states’ rights to enact GMO labeling laws.

In their letter, the lawmakers argue that states have a constitutional right to pass GMO labeling laws, as affirmed by a District Court in April with regard to Vermont’s labeling law. They also reject claims that state GMO labeling laws would create a “messy patchwork” of laws that would be burdensome for food manufacturers.

Maine Rep. Michelle Dunphy (D-Old Town) is lead author of the letter. Rep. Dunphy is also lead sponsor of Maine’s LD 991, a bill before the Maine state legislature that would speed enactment of Maine’s existing GMO labeling law (LD 718) by repealing the clause requiring five contiguous states, including Maine, to pass GMO labeling laws before GMO labeling can be enacted in Maine.

The letter stated, in part, “HR 1599 would undermine the existing rights of states to pass food labeling laws; it would undermine the efforts of the thousands of people working to create basic transparency in food labels in their states; it would undermine the rights of consumers to basic information; and it would undermine the concept of a free market based on truth and transparency in labeling.”

The letter will be addressed in a House briefing, on October 20, and during a Senate briefing, scheduled for October 22.

H.R 1599 passed the House on July 23. While a Senate version has yet to be introduced, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced that the Committee will hold a hearing on the federal regulation of agriculture on October 21.