BURLINGTON, VT: Senator David Zuckerman, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, offered the following statement about the GMO labeling proposals being discussed federally.
“I am proud Vermont’s first-in-the-nation GMO labeling law has started a national conversation about consumers’ right to know what is in their food. National requirements for GMO labeling, which exist in many other countries, would provide consistency of information. I am glad this is being discussed, but until we have a national law that is clear, has penalties for misinformation, and is easy for the consumer to use, the federal government should respect our state’s right to require clear labeling.
The last minute federal legislation concerns me on several levels. I am extremely disturbed it would remove a state’s right to legislate labeling immediately with no national regulations set for an additional 2 years. In addition, applying the law through QR codes discriminates against millions of Americans without smart phones and is an unnecessary inconvenience. Finally, I strongly believe there must be enforcement protocol and penalties in place so we can hold companies accountable, and I do not see this in the current proposal.
Vermont’s congressional delegation has been hugely supportive of Vermont’s bill and citizens’ right to know. I am grateful for Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Congressman Peter Welch who have advocated strongly for transparent national labeling laws and expressed their deep concerns with the national bill under consideration.”
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