Rhode Island Re-Introduces Mandatory GMO Labeling Bill
Rhode Island Rep. Dennis M. Canario is reintroducing a bill that would label foods containing genetically modified ingredients, ultimately allowing consumers to know what they are eating.
Like many have said before him, people have the right to know if the food they are eating contains man-made, DNA-altered creations.
The bill (H 7274) being reintroduced by Canario (D-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Tiverton) in the House of Representatives would require food companies to disclose if their products contain GM ingredients. The law would require packaged food or raw agricultural products to be labeled “produced with genetic engineering” effective on Jan. 1, 2017.
The law known as the “Genetically Engineered Raw and Packaged Food Labeling Act,” was presented last year, but held back ‘so that more study on GM ingredients’ could be done.
Co-sponsors of the bill include Rep. Raymond A. Hull (D-Dist. 6, Providence, North Providence), Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown), Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport), and Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence).
The bill’s opening statements include:
“For multiple health, personal, economic environmental, religious, and cultural reasons, the general assembly finds that foods produced with genetic engineering should be labeled as such.
In the United States, there is currently no federal or Rhode Island requirement that genetically engineered (GE) foods be labeled. In contrast, 64 countries, including Japan South Korea, China, Australia, Russia, India, and the European Union member states and other key United States trading partners, already have laws mandating disclosure of genetically engineered foods on food labels. . .”
Florida also recently introduced new GM labeling bills. Hopefully additional states will add their mandatory legislation bills to finally force the biotech industry to openly disclose the fact that they are selling us potentially dangerous food, sprayed copiously with herbicides, and even genetically engineered to contain Bt pesticides within them.
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