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On July 29, 2016, President Obama signed into law an Act amending the Agricultural Marketing at of 1946 which provides for a national bioengineered food disclosure standard. The FDA sent letters to Governor Haasan explaining that under this new law there is no longer a need for state-specific labeling laws given that the Federal Government had set a uniform standard.

Click on the link below to see the letter.

USDA letter on federal GMO labeling law

 

On February 10, 2016 the Massachusetts Legislature voted “no” to HB 1674, a bill that would have required food producers and manufacturers to label foods derived from genetically engineered seeds.  Lawmakers recognized the scientific facts behind this technology and the positive impact it has on our lives.  By voting “no”, legislators protected Massachusetts consumers, grocers, farmers, retailers, and small businesses from incurring increased costs.

 

The American Association of the Advancement of Science takes a strong stand against forced labeling:

There are several current efforts to require labeling of foods containing products derived from genetically modified crop plants, commonly known as GM crops or GMOs. These efforts are not driven by evidence that GM foods are actually dangerous. Indeed, the science is quite clear: crop improvement by the modern molecular techniques of biotechnology is safe. Rather, these initiatives are driven by a varietyof factors, ranging from the persistent perception that such foods are somehow “unnatural” and potentially dangerous to the desire to gain competitive advantage by legislating attachment of a label meant to alarm. Another misconception used as a rationale for labeling is that GM crops are untested…

Read the complete text here:

 

GMO Answers is a new website designed to help answer some of the most common questions regarding GMOs:

 

Click on the FDA logo to learn more about the FDA’s stance on genetically engineered foods.

[learn_more caption=”Read the Full Text of HB 660 Here”] STATE OF Massachusetts In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen AN ACT requiring the labeling of genetically engineered foods and agricultural commodities. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Subdivision; Genetically Engineered Foods. Amend RSA 146 by inserting after section 21 the following new subdivision: Genetically Engineered Foods

146:22 Definitions. In this subdivision: I. “Genetically engineered” means any food that is produced from an organism or organisms in which the genetic material changed through the application of: (a) In vitro nucleic acid techniques, including recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques and the direct injection of nucleic acid into cells or organelles; or (b) Fusion of cells, including protoplast fusion, or hybridization techniques that overcome natural physiological, reproductive, or recombination barriers, where the donor cells or protoplasts do not fall within the same taxonomic family, in a way that does not occur by natural multiplication or natural recombination. II. “Organism” means any biological entity capable of replication, reproduction, or transferring of genetic material. III. “In vitro nucleic acid techniques” means techniques, including, but not limited to, recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid or ribonucleic acid techniques, that use vector systems and techniques involving the direct introduction into the organisms of hereditary materials prepared outside the organisms such as microinjection, macroinjection, chemoporation, electroporation, microencapsulation and liposome fusion. IV. “Processed food” means any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any food produced from a raw agricultural commodity that was processed through canning, smoking, pressing, cooking, freezing, dehydration, fermentation, or milling.

146:23 Genetically Engineered Foods; Label Required. I. On and after July 1, 2014, any human or animal food offered for retail sale in this state shall be deemed misbranded if such food is, or may have been, entirely or partially produced with genetic engineering and such fact is not disclosed. II. In the case of a raw agricultural commodity, the package offered for retail sale shall include the clear and conspicuous words “Genetically Engineered” on the front of the package of such commodity, or in the case of any such commodity that is not separately packaged or labeled, on a label that appears on the retail store shelf or bin in which such commodity is displayed for sale. III. In the case of any processed food, the package offered for retail sale shall include the clear and conspicuous words “Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering” or “May be Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering.”

2 Genetically Engineered Crops. Amend RSA 433:14 to read as follows: 433:14 Rulemaking. I. The commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food is hereby authorized to adopt all necessary rules and to establish such fees as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this subdivision. II. The commissioner of the department of agriculture, markets and foods shall adopt rules establishing best practices for farmers who grow or raise a genetically-engineered crop for trade or sale in the United States. Such rules shall require the farmers to implement the practices to eliminate or minimize the impact of genetically-engineered crops on neighboring lands and minimize herbicide use to eradicate herbicide-resistant weeds. 3 List of Genetically Engineered Agricultural Commodities.

Not later than October 15, 2015, the attorney general, in consultation with the commissioners of the departments of agriculture, markets and food, health and human services, and environmental services, shall publish a list on the attorney general’s web site that indicates those raw agricultural commodities known to be genetically engineered. The attorney general shall update such list not less than once every calendar year.

4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014. LBAO 13-0535 Revised 02/01/13[/learn_more]