Rounds Supports Senate Ag Committee Passage of Bill to Stop States from Mandatory Biotechnology Labeling
Agrees to Cosponsor Bill as it Heads to Full Senate for Consideration
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today supported the Senate Agriculture Committee’s passage of legislation to prevent mandatory labeling of food produced from biotechnology seeds – commonly referred to as GMOs – at the state level by creating a national voluntary labeling system for bioengineered foods. The bill would pre-empt states mandatory labeling and create a voluntary federal standard. The bill passed out of the Senate Ag Committee by a vote of 14-6 with bipartisan support.
“While extensive testing and scientific studies have demonstrated that genetically engineered crops are just as safe as non-GMO crops, consumers should have the option to purchase products without them if they so choose. Nothing in federal law prevents companies from selling such products today. But food companies – who often sell their products across state lines to consumers in many different states – should not be unnecessarily burdened with 50 different labeling requirements. A voluntary, streamlined approach that sets a new national labeling standard will reduce compliance costs without forcing companies to include – or not include – labeling information on the bioengineered content of their products.”
This legislation is supported by South Dakota Agri-Business Association, South Dakota Farm Bureau and more than 650 agribusiness organizations.
###