Reuters | October 7, 1999 | Julie Vorman
WASHINGTON - US Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic lawmaker, was cited as saying Thursday he would launch the first attempt in Congress to require labels on U.S. foods made with genetically-modified (GM) corn, potatoes and other crops to give American consumers a choice at the grocery store.
The story says that the bill, which is expected to be introduced by by the end of October, would be the first piece of U.S. legislation to take up the controversial issue of whether GM foods are different enough from conventional products to require special labels.
Kucinich was cited as giving few details about his planned bill, saying only that it would require labels "when appropriate. ... I am concerned that the scientific knowledge to date is not extensive enough to remove all doubts about the health, safety and environmental impacts of genetically engineered food. American citizens must have the right to choose what foods they and their family eat."
Kucinich was cited as announcing the planned bill at a Senate Agriculture panel hearing on how the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Agriculture Department and the Environmental Protection Agency regulate GM foods.
James Maryanski, the FDA's biotechnology coordinator, was cited as repeating the government's view that labels are not needed on foods made from GM crops unless the nutritional content was changed or an allergen introduced, adding, "For example, if a tomato had a soybean gene introduced into it, labeling would be needed to alert consumers to the presence of the potential allergen, unless it could be demonstrated scientifically that the soybean allergen was not present."
The story notes that in recent weeks, several non-U.S. companies that make baby food, beer and other foods announced they would halt purchases of GM crops because of consumer concerns over untested long-term health or environmental impacts.
Mark Silbergeld of the Consumers Union, an activist group, was quoted as saying, "We believe that Americans want that label. Powerful interests within the biotechnology, agriculture and food industries are working hard to prevent mandatory labelling."
The story adds that although Kucinich's bill has little chance of mustering enough bipartisan support for passage any time soon, it seems certain to focus more attention on the debate over GM food.
One congressional aide, the story says, likened it to the U.S. law requiring nutritional labels on all foods, a bill that was passed in 1994 after a decade-long battle, stating, "The technology is changing faster than the legislative process can respond. The food industry may become more interested in making changes on their own once they see a bill introduced."
