Food Fight! How Vermont Became a Battleground Over GMOs
We’ve all heard the arguments for and against genetically modified foods. Organisms that have been genetically engineered to grow a certain way sound like something out of science fiction, right alongside food pills or flying cars. But GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) have become a very real, if controversial, part of modern life. Purveyors of GMOs say these foods are the wave of the future and will change the way people grow food for the better, allowing us to tweak the DNA of what we consume as needed. Opponents insist that GMOs could have serious health consequences, and contain the potential to destroy traditional farming. With billions of dollars and countless jobs on the line, this already contentious issue has finally reached a boiling point — and Vermont has become the battleground.
The tiny state of Vermont laid down a landmark law last year, when officials decided that all food companies must inform consumers if their products contain genetically modified ingredients. Proponents of the law believe that this will allow people to make educated and informed decisions on what they feed to their families, and skip products that contain the controversial GMOs.
“Consumers want to know what is in their food,” Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin said in an official statement regarding the law. “Elected officials will have to meet the demands of consumers or be rejected at the ballot box. There is no doubt in my mind this will spread across the country.”
GMO labeling certainly has widespread support; advocates across the country are pushing for it to become a national standard. But the Food and Drug Administration has been dragging its heels for over two years regarding a petition to label all GMO products. Part of the agency’s reluctance to deal with the controversial issue is easily explained – the GMO lobby has powerful friends and deep pockets. This lack of action has forced the fight to label GMOs to go grassroots, focusing on a state-by-state strategy. And the food industry is firing back, pointing out the inherent problems in each state setting its own laws regarding food labeling.
“We could be talking about thousands of different jurisdictions making their own decisions about food laws,” GMO advocate and Republican Kansas representative and Mike Pompeo told The LA Times. “That is not a functional food safety system.”
Companies that use GMOs in their products are prepared to sue Vermont for their new labeling law. Major GMO advocates are suing over the law they’ve characterized as “critically flawed.” But it might not be that easy to sway Vermont — or the American people. According to a survey, 79 percent of Vermont citizens support labeling GMO foods, regardless of the legal maelstrom surrounding the issue. According to Vermont's Right to Know GMO's website, "In April 2015, Judge Christina Reiss rejected a motion from industrial food companies asking Vermont to stop implementation of the state’s GMO labeling law." The fight continues.
Okay, but we know Vermont is a pretty liberal (dare we even say hippie-esque) state; does the rest of the nation support informed consumption of genetically modified foods? Let’s put it this way: Gearing up for what is sure to be a lengthy and expensive legal feud, Vermont officials started a website so people could donate to support the GMO labeling cause (and offset the cost of impending lawsuits). Many donations were by out-of-state supporters.
The GMO lobby has its sights set on Vermont, and fighting its new law before labeling foods becomes a national trend. But supporters of the law aren’t going down without a fight – no matter the cost. So both sides better brace themselves: The battle of GMO labeling is going to be a long and ugly fight.
[Pic via Flickr - Kevin Van den Panhuyzen]
