Letter to the Hon. Sonny Perdue, Secretary of Agriculture - Buchanan Urges Tougher GMO Labeling

Letter

Dear Secretary Perdue,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's grossly inadequate proposal for labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

According to the USDA, this proposed rule will "provide a uniform way to offer meaningful disclosure for consumers who want more information about their food." However, by providing manufacturers with such broad discretion in disclosing GMO ingredients, consumers may not get the information they need to make informed decisions.

As drafted, this proposal will allow food manufactures to skirt transparency by putting a website or a phone number on the food product for consumers to call if they want to learn whether a food contains a GMO. Another option allowed under the rule would allow a manufacturer to imprint a QR code, similar to a bar code, that consumers could scan using a smartphone.

Food labeling needs to be simple and clear. QR codes do not meet that definition. What senior citizen or mother shopping with her children will be able to stop and call a company or go to a website to check the ingredients of each product they would like to buy? If you're going to have a labeling standard, make it easy to understand.

I am also concerned by the largely unanswered question of which foods would be considered genetically modified. Under one proposed set of regulations, the USDA could exempt highly refined sugars and oils, such as those made from genetically modified corn and soybeans, which some have warned would effectively exempt as much as 70 percent of products from GMO labeling.

As you work to issue a final rule later this year, I would urge you to go back to the drawing board and come up with a more consumer-friendly standard. Regardless of whether you think GMOs are safe or not, people have a right to know what they're eating.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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