There was a celebration on the Statehouse steps in May when Gov. Peter Shumlin signed a bill into law that made Vermont the first state to require labeling of genetically modified foods.
One of the celebrants that day was Sen. David Zuckerman, P/D-Chittenden, lead sponsor of the GMO labeling bill. Zuckerman, an organic farmer by trade, first introduced GMO legislation as a representative in 1999, to ascertain from the University of Vermont how much money the school was receiving to research GMOs. In 2003, Zuckerman was the lead sponsor of a series of bills on GMOs, one of which required labeling. Now, after 11 years, full disclosure had won the day, in Zuckerman’s view.
But not everyone was in a celebratory mood after the gathering on the Statehouse steps that day in May. The Grocery Manufacturers Association gave notice that it would file suit in federal court against the state of Vermont to overturn the law. And at the Green Mountain Dairy in Sheldon, Bill Rowell was wondering why no one was speaking up for GMOs.
After all, he thought, genetically modified seeds had done great things for the large farming operation he owns and operates with his brother, Brian. There are only 17 large farming operations in Vermont, out of about 950 total dairy farms. The brothers began using GMO seed for their corn and hay fields in about 1996, when the seeds first became available.
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Rowell said he thinks opponents of GMOs are basing their opinions on sentiment rather than science, which remains inconclusive on any detrimental health effects from GMOs after nearly 20 years of use. “You can’t base your society to a large extent on science and then ignore it when it doesn’t suit you,” Rowell said. “What I’m trying to look at is, how do we do this in a straightforward, scientific manner, so we promote the human species for the least cost possible, and the least cost to the environment.”
Zuckerman agrees there is no scientific evidence proving GMOs are harmful to human health — but neither is there evidence proving they’re safe, he said. The fact is that unbiased studies have yet to be undertaken and will require many years of research once they are begun, he added. But Zuckerman pointed out that 64 countries, including Japan, China, Australia and the nations of Europe, require GMO labeling.
Read the full, original article: Farmers disagree on impact of GMOs
