May 10, 2000 / Dow Jones News / The Associated Press
OTTAWA -- A United Nations group trying to decide how genetically modified
foods should be labeled for consumers failed, according to this story, to
reach agreement Wednesday.
The story says that delegates to the Codex Alimentarius Commission
representing 167 countries decided to refer the matter to a committee headed
by Canada for further study, the same result of a similar meeting last year
by the commission, a joint body of two U.N. agencies - the Food and
Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization.
The labeling question is one of the most divisive involving genetically
modified foods, pitting major producers in the United States opposed to
mandatory labeling against industries in Europe and developing nations that
favor it.
The story says that in the past year, though, major U.S. food producers like
Archer Daniels Midland and Gerber have demanded that genetically modified
products be segregated from other products or refused to use them
altogether.
(posted without permission)
