State Sens. Ayala and Musto First-in-the-Nation Law Informs Consumers of GMOs in their Food

The law will require genetically modified foods to be labeled HARTFORD, CT – A historic consumer protection bill was passed by Connecticut’s State Senate Tuesday with support from Senator Anthony Musto (D-Trumbull) and Senator Andres Ayala (D-Bridgeport). The bill will require all food sold in Connecticut that contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to carry a label identifying them as such. GMO labeling is an issue that has been embraced by 62 countries across the world and, according to a 2011 Thomason Reuters survey, is supported by 93% of all US consumers. Reflecting that support, the bill passed in the Senate with an overwhelming 35-1 vote. “Connecticut’s consumers deserve to know what is in the food they feed to their families. The evidence of GMO-related health problems is too glaring for people to be left unaware that their food is genetically modified,” said Senator Musto. “This first-in-the-nation bill will ensure people in our state are able to make informed decision when purchasing food.” “Foods sold in this country already have nutrition labels that provide consumers with the information they need to make informed, healthy choices with their food. This bill makes the next logical step forward by identifying foods that contain GMOs,” said Senator Ayala. “Adding GMO labels to foods provides important information to the people of Connecticut, while not being overly burdensome on the food industry.” Senate Bill 802 requires the packaging for any foods intended for human consumption that are entirely or partially genetically engineered to read “Produced with Genetic Engineering.” This phrase must be printed in the same size and font as the ingredients on the nutrition label. Unpackaged vegetables or other raw agricultural commodities must be labeled on their retail shelf or bin. The new label on genetically engineered foods comes in response to growing evidence that they have serious health consequences. Legislators supporting the GMO label cited a report published in 2011 that reviewed 19 studies in which mammals were fed genetically modified foods. The report found evidence that a diet of consistent GMO consumption leads to liver and kidney problems. These results are very concerning considering that most Americans consume food containing GMO ingredients every day. The legislators also pointed to the harmful health effects of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup. 80% of GMO crops grown in the United States are specifically engineered to be cultivated with the use of glyphosate, earning such crops the nickname “Roundup ready.” A 2013 study authored by a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology links glyphosate to gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, autism, infertility, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. GMOs are plants or animals that have been engineered to contain genetic information imported from other organisms. This allows the modified organism to exhibit traits it would not otherwise possess, such as growing quicker or larger so as to be more profitable. The US Department of Agriculture reports that about 90% of all corn, soybeans, canola, and sugar beets raised in the United States now qualify as GMOs. The Grocery Manufacturers Association estimates that most processed foods such as cereal, granola bars, chicken nuggets, and salad dressing, contain at least one GMO ingredient. Now that the Senate Bill 802 has passed in the Senate, it moves on to the House of Representatives for final consideration.