Signed by Governor Peter Shumlin

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires the labeling of genetically engineered food.

Highlights:

• Requires food that is entirely or partially produced from “genetic engineering”, and that is offered for sale by a retailer, to be labeled “produced with genetic engineering”, effective July 1, 2016 (Sec. 2). 

• Defines “genetic engineering” as a process by which food is produced from an organism in which genetic material has been changed through the application of the following (Sec. 2):
• In vitro nucleic acid techniques; or
• Fusion of cells or hybridization techniques that overcome natural physiological, reproductive, or recombination barriers.

• Exempts certain types of food from the labeling requirement provisions of this bill including, but not limited to, the following types of food (Sec. 2):
• Alcoholic beverages; 
• Food derived from an animal which has not itself been produced with genetic engineering;
• Food produced without the knowing or intentional use of food produced with genetic engineering; and
• Food that is not packaged for retail sale and that is sold by a restaurant intended for immediate human consumption.

• Prohibits a manufacturer of food produced entirely or in part from genetic engineering from labeling the product as any of the following (Sec. 2).
• “Natural”;
• “Naturally made”;
• “Naturally grown”;
• “All natural”; or
• Any words that would have a “tendency to mislead” a consumer.

• Establishes the “Genetically Engineered Food Labeling Special Fund” to pay costs or liabilities incurred from the implementation and administration of the requirements for labeling of food produced from genetic engineering (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the Fund shall consist of certain forms of revenue including, but not limited to, the following forms of revenue (Sec. 4):
• Private gifts, bequests, grants, or donations of any amount made to the state from any source; 
• Up to $1.5 million of settlement monies collected by the attorney general that exceed the estimated amounts of settlement proceeds in July 2014; and
• Such sums as may be appropriated or transferred by the General Assembly.

• Authorizes the attorney general to adopt rule requirements for the implementation of the provisions of this bill (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that if any provision of this bill or its application to any individual or circumstance is held invalid or in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or of Vermont, the invalidity or the violation shall not affect other provisions of this bill (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text