State Chamber Applauds Signing of Biotech Bill. Bill Approves Nationwide Standards over State-by-State Implementation
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The Montana Chamber of Commerce is pleased that President Obama signed the National Biotech Disclosure Bill last Friday.“A state by state patchwork of labeling mandates would needlessly increase the regulatory burden placed on Montana small businesses and increase costs for Montana families across the state,” said Webb Brown, President/CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce.
The result of an agreement between Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and ranking member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), this legislation establishes national disclosure standards for genetically engineered foods and will allow companies to disclose GMO ingredients through uniform digital codes, rather than on-package language or symbols. The bill will nullify individual states’ efforts to enact unique labeling requirements.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text style=”margin-top:15px;”][/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text style=”margin-top: 15px;”]We supported the bipartisan Roberts-Stabenow compromise, which would prevent such a patchwork, and thank President Obama, Montana’s US Senator Steve Daines, and Montana’s US Representative Ryan Zinke for getting it passed.”
The nationwide labeling standard and option for digital codes represent major victories for farmers, biotech engineers, and food companies, all of whom long resisted mandatory GMO labeling out of fear that it would stigmatize the technology.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]