Campbell Soup Company Wants National Labeling Law

A Campbell Soup Company official says the corporation wants the United States to adopt a mandatory GMO labeling law. Kelly Johnston, Campbell Soup Company vice president for government affairs recently made those remarks to a food policy conference. Johnson says his company lost its fear of GMO labeling after it introduced a product in Australia that was labeled with genetically modified soybeans. The product was one of the company’s most successful rollouts. There are arguments that Campbell’s is a big company forcing an expensive solution on small companies, but Johnston said it is Vermont, which passed the first labeling law in the country, that has imposed the requirement. Johnston also said that Campbell’s does not particularly like the Vermont law and would prefer the bill introduced by Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, adding that his bill “is not perfect, but it provides options.”

Michigan Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow, one of the major stumbling blocks to Senate action on the a labeling bill, told consumer groups last week that any proposed GMO labeling bill will not be perfect. Groups such as Just Label It and the Center for Food Safety have pushed for a nationwide, mandatory GMO labeling system, such as the one set to take effect in Vermont in July. Stabenow stressed that getting labeling standards through Congress will require a compromise and told reporters that she recently sent GMO labeling language to Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts, noting that her stance has not changed. Stabenow is the ranking Democrat on the committee and a proponent of mandatory GMO labeling. Chairman Roberts prefers a voluntary labeling measure. However, his bill failed in the Senate last month.

Sour: NAFB News Service

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