Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits mandatory labeling for food produced from, containing, or consisting of a bio-engineered organism.

Highlights:

• Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a voluntary genetically engineered food certification program with respect to the use of genetic engineering in the production of such food products (Sec. 201). 
• Requires a covered product sold or labeled as “produced without the use of genetic engineering” to meet the following conditions (Sec. 201):
• The product is subject to certain supply chain process controls; and
• The product is produced and handled in compliance with a non-genetically engineered food plan.
• Requires a covered product sold or labeled as “produced with the use of genetic engineering” to meet the following conditions (Sec. 201):
• The product is produced and handled in compliance with a genetically engineered food plan; and
• The product’s labeling and advertising material do not make certain claims, including, but not limited to, claims that a product developed with the use of genetic engineering is safer or of higher quality solely because of the use of genetic engineering in product development. 
• Requires a producer or handler seeking certification under the program to submit either a non-genetically engineered food plan, or a genetically engineered food plan, that contains a description of the following information (Sec. 201):
• The procedures that will be followed to assure compliance with the program;
• The monitoring records that will be maintained; and
• The corrective actions that will be implemented in the event there is a deviation from the plan. 
• Prohibits a state or political subdivision of a state from directly or indirectly establishing or continuing in effect any requirement for the labeling of a covered product indicating the product as having been produced from, containing, or consisting of a “genetically engineered plant” (Sec. 203).  
• Defines “genetically engineered plant” as a plant or plant product which contains genetic material that has been modified through in vitro recombinant DNA techniques, and the modification could not otherwise be obtained using conventional breeding techniques (Sec. 201). 
• Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to require the labeling of a food produced from, containing, or consisting of a genetically engineered plant to contain a statement to inform consumers of a difference between the food and its comparable food if the Secretary determines that (Sec. 101):
• There is a material difference in the functional, nutritional, or compositional characteristics, allergenicity, or other attributes between the food produced and its comparable food; and
• The disclosure of such material difference is necessary to protect public health and safety, or to prevent the label or labeling of the food so produced from being false or misleading. 

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text