House panel advances Accurate Food Labeling Act

During a Tuesday meeting, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) praised the House Agriculture Committee’s approval of H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act.

The bill would establish national, science-based safety and labeling standards for food containing genetically modified ingredients. The bill was advanced on a voice vote.

"The House Agriculture Committee has taken an important step in moving forward legislation to ensure that farmer co-ops, their producer-owners and other agribusinesses have the certainty of a uniform, national standard when it comes to labeling foods made with biotech-derived ingredients,” NCFC President and CEO Chuck Conner said. “H.R. 1599 would eliminate the possibility of a state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws, something that would increase costs and reduce choices for both farmers and consumers.”

Changes to provisions include enhanced coordination between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the biotechnology approval process.

The bill also strengthens confidence in the safety of genetically engineered foods by requiring developers to secure written FDA notification that any questions on food safety have been resolved before new bio-engineered products are introduced into the marketplace.

Finally, the bill provides consumers with greater transparency and confidence by establishing a public website listing all bioengineered plants.
 

“I urge House leadership to carry this momentum forward and take up H.R. 1599 ahead of the August recess," Conner said.

U.S. Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) introduced the legislation earlier this year.