MASSPIRG
Boston, MA — The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, chaired by Senator Marc Pacheco (Taunton) and Representative Anne Gobi (Spencer), yesterday passed out of committee H813, a GMO labeling bill. If signed into law, the bill would ensure that all foods sold in Massachusetts that contain genetically modified or engineered ingredients (GMOs) would be clearly labeled.
Massachusetts joins a growing number of northeast states working to label foods containing GMOs. Maine and Connecticut have already passed legislation. New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont are actively pursuing legislation.
“There is incredible momentum in the northeast to label genetically engineered foods,” said Martin Dagoberto, Campaign Coordinator at MA Right to Know GMOs. “I’m thrilled to see the Massachusetts legislature taking on this important initiative and fighting to make Massachusetts one of the first states to label GMOs. This is a significant step forward in the fight for a transparent food supply.”
According to a poll conducted by The New York Times, 93 percent of Americans support labeling foods containing genetically modified or engineered ingredients.
“The bottom line is that consumers overwhelmingly want to know what is in the food they eat,” said Deirdre Cummings, Consumer Program Director for MASSPIRG. “GMO labeling is a simple common sense way to allow consumers to make informed choices.”
“Farmers and consumers alike believe we have a right to know what is in our food,” said Jack Kittredge, Policy Director at the Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. “I hope the legislature will continue to keep moving this along until we join Connecticut and Maine with a strong labeling law to be signed by the Governor.”
“Our members have been very concerned and active on GMO labeling here in Massachusetts and across the country,” said Pat Fiero, Lead Regional Organizer, N.E., MoveOn.org. “ We are pleased the legislature heard and listened to the thousands of requests from the public for GMO labeling.”
This year, five GMO labeling bills have been filed by a bipartisan group of legislators including Representatives Ellen Story (Amherst), Todd Smola (Palmer), Michael Moran (Brighton) Stephen DiNatale (Fitchburg).
Click here for list of current legislative supporters.
http://www.masspirg.org/resources/map/gmo-bill-supporters