A new bill to label genetically engineered (GE) foods in California was introduced last week into the California senate. The bill is backed by the Center for Food Safety and other food safety and consumer advocates. It’s sponsored by a coalition called Californians for GE Food Labeling.
CFS west coast director Rebecca Spector said in a statement, “California consumers want the right to know what is in the food they eat, plain and simple. As a founding member of Californians for GE Food Labeling and lead authors of the legislation, we are proud to see our state legislators introduce this important bill.”
SB 1381 is a “simpler, cleaner” version of Prop 37, the proposed law that narrowly lost in election 2012. The No on Prop 37 group was heavily funded by large corporations such as Monsanto, Dow, and General Mills and they launched an aggressive campaign against the proposal.
Polls show that 90 to 95% of Americans want to see GE foods labeled. Fifty bills to require labeling were introduced in 26 states last year. Connecticut and Maine have passed GE labeling legislation, and Oregon is planning a ballot initiative this year. Sixty-four countries, including South Africa, China, and the EU require labeling of genetically engineered foods.
