The full House has passed the GMO Labeling Bill H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, with a vote of 275 yes, 150 no. The bill now moves to the Senate.
California representatives Jim Costa (D-16), David Validao (R-21), Devin Nunes (R-22), and Stephen Knight (R-25) were among the co-sponsors of the bill. The bill would establish a certification process through USDA for foods labeled as non-GMO and prevent states from requiring the labeling of food with genetically modified ingredients.
The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the bill. AFBF President Bob Stallman issued a statement shortly after the passage this morning, stating “Congress stood with farmers and ranchers today in supporting innovation that helps the environment and keeps food prices down for everyone. The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 would protect consumers from confusing and misleading GMO labels and create a national, voluntary labeling standard based on science and common sense.”