Senators will decide whether they should pass the GMO Food Labeling Bill, a bill that will oblige food companies to label food products containing genetically engineered ingredients. This would create a voluntary national standard for food products with genetically modified ingredients.
According to The New York Times, the GMO Food Labeling Bill would avoid states from fixed labels just before Vermont was settled to become the first in the state to compel such requirements. It lacks support from the Democrats, who do not want to see the law only as an option for manufacturers.
According to Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana and an organic farmer said, "Voluntary standards are no standards at all,' "We need to defeat this bill." "This is bad, bad, bad policy," he added.
Some Democrats and lawmakers are concerned that if the GMO Food Labeling Bill would be passed, it may cause food prices to increase. Most of the biotech and large food companies would spend almost hundreds of million dollars to fight this GMO Food Labeling Bill, and also those favoring labeling have logged almost hundreds of hours for almost a month just to have an appointment with the senators and aides.
The Agricultural Department will recognize state voluntary marketing standards for food products containing bioengineered material and encourage contribution with incentives.
According to Senator Pat Roberts, a Republican of Kansas and chair of the committee said, "We have a responsibility to ensure that the national market can work for everyone. We must not demonize food with unnecessary labels."
Some companies are worrying that the label might reduce sales for food items that contain bioengineered ingredients. Grocery manufacturer's Associate estimate more than 70 percent of food items with corn, sugar beets, and soy are the most commonly used crops to be genetically-modified, according to Fortune.
Concerns for those who support the GMO Food Labeling Bill would cause delay for food producers and constantly increases food prices due to the load of label changing. However, a concession by Republicans, the law would also contain language or labeling that allows for mandatory labeling of GMO if the intended plan proves unproductive in a few years' time.
