Kansas Corn Growers Support Congressman Pompeo’s GMO Labeling Bill

Kansas Corn Growers Support Congressman Pompeo’s GMO Labeling Bill

April 9, 2014– The Kansas Corn Growers Association (KGCA) announced its support Kansas 4th District Congressman Mike Pompeo’s bill introduced today that would place GMO food safety and labeling regulation under the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act” would designate the federal agency to regulate the safety and labeling of food made with genetically modified ingredients.

The bipartisan bill, introduced by Congressman Pompeo and Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), would provide a federal solution to the GMO labeling question. The alternative is a patchwork of state GMO labeling laws that would be confusing and costly to consumers.

“We appreciate Congressman Pompeo’s leadership on this bill,” KCGA President Bob Timmons of Fredonia said. “GMOs have been proven safe by every major scientific organization to study them, including our federal regulatory agencies and the World Health Organization. These organizations have been unable to find a single negative result from the consumption of genetically modified foods. Biotech crops allow us to grow crops more sustainably, using less farm chemicals and even less water.”

The legislation would create a uniform, national program governing review and labeling of GMO foods. It would require the FDA to conduct a safety review of all new plant varieties used for GMO food before the foods are introduced to consumers. It also would develop a legal framework under FDA to govern the need for labeling as well as the voluntary labeling of GMO and non-GMO foods, and would require the FDA to introduce a federal definition for “natural” claims on labels. Under this bill, states would be precluded from imposing any requirements that do not match the Federal framework.

“More than 90-percent of the corn we grow in Kansas is GMO, enhanced with biotechnology to help us control weeds and bugs and now we have some traits to help crops tolerate drought. Most of the corn we grow is used to feed livestock and to make ethanol but corn remains an important food ingredient as well,” Timmons said. “Biotechnology helps our plants to be stronger and withstand difficult growing conditions.”

KCGA is affiliated with the National Corn Growers Association, which is a part of a broad coalition of agriculture and food organizations that support the GMO labeling bill.