On July 29, 2016, President Obama signed into law the federal genetically engineered (GE) food labeling bill (S. 764). The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 14, 2016, 306-117, with broad bipartisan support. The Senate had previously passed the final bill, 63-30, on July 7. The bill will create a nationwide labeling standard for foods containing GE ingredients, and puts an end to the patchwork of state legislation that has developed over the past few years, including the nation’s first GE food labeling law in Vermont that was supposed to go into effect in July.

PREEMPTION -

The federal bill expressly preempts all state laws relating to the GE labeling of food or seed in interstate commerce. Congress’ decision therefore dealt a defeat to proponents of stricter GE labeling requirements, namely those who supported Vermont’s 2014 law requiring disclosure of GE ingredients on food labels or packaging. Proponents of that bill strongly favored a national standard, arguing that a multitude of different state laws and regulations could drive up the cost of food by requiring companies to change food labels and supply chain systems to comply with different legal and regulatory schemes.