Frankenfood
by Catherine Haug, June 4, 2013
(image, right, used by permission from the Organic Consumers Association)
On June 3, 2013, Connecticut passed a law requiring foods with genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature. This is a major victory despite the House-added amendment requiring “five of nine neighboring states to pass similar GMO labeling laws, so long as those states have a combined population of 20 million” before the law would take effect (from the Alliance for Natural Health). The New York Times reports the legislature passed the bill 134 to 3.
This is a major victory for the anti-GMO movement. As of this writing more than 20 other states are considering GMO-labeling laws. Alaska passed a labeling law in 2005, affecting all GE fish and shellfish. Nevertheless, while the tide may be turning, the biotech industry is still a formidable adversary, defeating a labeling bill in New York legislative committee (from the New York Times).