Posted February 7, 2014
An Illinois lawmaker says he will pursue legislation
requiring labeling for genetically modified (GMO) foods, according to an
article by the Journal Standard available here. Senate Bill 1666 is available here.
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) said, “I’m dealing with
this strictly as a consumer right-to-know bill.”
Koehler, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee,
introduced the bill about a year ago and held a series of hearings to get input
from supporters and opponents.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA), which
represents several food manufacturers in the state opposes the bill. Mark Denzler, IMA’s vice president and chief
operating officer said, “Genetically modified food is safe. There has not been a single scientific study
that’s proved otherwise.”
Pork producers are monitoring the legislation,
according to an article by Brownfield Ag News available here.
Illinois Pork producer Association CEO Jim Kaitschuk
says pork could be affected by the law depending on how the term “genetically
modified” is defined.
“If ultimately you’re
talking about the transition of one form of being to another – that could
potentially get into the breeding of animals or the insemination of the animals,”
said Kaitschuk. He continued, “[H]ow we
feed them and what we feed them a lot of times are considered genetically
modified items. When that goes into the
animal as an end product, it does have an impact.”
For more information on food labeling, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
