Connecticut could become the first state to force food manufacturers to label foods that have been genetically modified. According to The Hour, the labels would be overrule the Federal Drug Administration’s guidelines, which do not require labels or testing of genetically modified food.
The State Department of Agriculture reportedly believes that the law would put Connecticut businesses at a competitive disadvantage with other states.
The bill passed the health committee and is now up to the full legislature to decide. A 2010 poll by Reuters and NPR foreshadows how the vote may go if the politicians are influenced by the public’s beliefs.
The survey interviewed 3,000 people and found 93 percent wanted labeling for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In that poll, 60 percent were willing to “eat genetically modified vegetables, fruits, and grains. That number dips to 38 percent for meat and 35 percent for fish.”
