Blumenthal: Anti-Consumer GMO Legislation Approved by Agriculture Committee is Insult to American People

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today issued the following statement in response to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry’s approval of legislation that would undermine state GMO-labeling laws and thwart mandatory labeling efforts.

"The anti-consumer legislation that was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee today is an insult to the American people, who have overwhelmingly and repeatedly called for mandatory GMO labeling. This legislation undermines strong state GMO-labeling laws, like Connecticut’s, and thwarts efforts to ensure consumers have access to basic, on-package information about what they are feeding their families. Industry claims that such labeling will raise the cost of food are unfounded — as demonstrated by Campbell’s support for the mandatory labeling of products containing genetically engineered ingredients. I will continue to advocate for strong mandatory on-package GMO labeling standard and will oppose any measure that undermines consumers’ right to know."

Last year, Blumenthal introduced the Genetically Engineered Right to Know Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clearly label genetically engineered foods so that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat, as well as the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2015 to empower consumers to make smart eating choices by minimizing confusing and misleading information that consumers encounter on food packages.

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