Senators Urge USDA to Implement GMO Labeling

Several Democratic senators, with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have sent a letter to the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging Secretary Sonny Perdue to prioritize “consumer-friendly solutions” as the Agricultural Marketing Service undertakes a rulemaking process on the labeling of food made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). “All Americans have the right to know what is in their food and how their food is produced,” the group argues.

The letter asks Perdue to “consider, and work to address, the obstacles Americans would face while attempting to access GE ingredient information through digital or electronic disclosures,” noting that about one-quarter of American adults do not own a smartphone, which would allow them to scan QR codes on packaging to access ingredient information.