WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2014 – Over 200 food, consumer and
environmental groups today joined with four members of the House of Representatives
to ask President Obama to fulfill a 2007 campaign promise to label genetically
modified foods.
"We believe there should be a mandatory national
labeling system,” the groups wrote in a letter,
citing the consumers’ “right to know” what is on their grocery shelves. “FDA
has a duty to act when the absence of labeling would leave consumers confused
about the foods they buy.”
Signers included the Organic Consumer Association, Greenpeace,
the Center for Food Safety, and Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.; Rosa DeLauro,
D-Conn.; Ann Kuster, D-N.H., and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine.
At a 2007 campaign event, then-Senator Obama said he would
use his presidency to “let folks know whether their food has been genetically
modified, because Americans should know what they’re buying.”
The letter comes as the Grocery
Manufacturers Association (GMA), a trade group representing food and
beverage companies, is gearing up to introduce its own national labeling
legislation.
Reports, however, indicate GMA’s labeling initiative would
be voluntary.
State GMO labeling initiatives in California and Washington
were rejected by voters in 2012 and 2013. Though Maine and Connecticut both
passed labeling initiatives last year, those laws would only take effect should
other contiguous states pass similar legislation.
States including Vermont, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona
are expected to consider their own labeling bills this year.
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