Posted February 7, 2014
An Illinois lawmaker says he will pursue legislation requiring labeling for genetically modified (GMO) foods, according to an article by the Journal Standard available here. Senate Bill 1666 is available here.
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) said, “I’m dealing with this strictly as a consumer right-to-know bill.”
Koehler, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced the bill about a year ago and held a series of hearings to get input from supporters and opponents.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA), which represents several food manufacturers in the state opposes the bill. Mark Denzler, IMA’s vice president and chief operating officer said, “Genetically modified food is safe. There has not been a single scientific study that’s proved otherwise.”
Pork producers are monitoring the legislation, according to an article by Brownfield Ag News available here.
Illinois Pork producer Association CEO Jim Kaitschuk says pork could be affected by the law depending on how the term “genetically modified” is defined.
“If ultimately you’re talking about the transition of one form of being to another – that could potentially get into the breeding of animals or the insemination of the animals,” said Kaitschuk. He continued, “[H]ow we feed them and what we feed them a lot of times are considered genetically modified items. When that goes into the animal as an end product, it does have an impact.”
For more information on food labeling, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
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