Advocates hoping to see labels on genetically modified foods have a Republican state senator as an unlikely ally in Indiana.
Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, has introduced legislation that would require companies to label foods produced by genetic engineering. Under the bill, a company also couldn’t use “natural” on its label if the product contained genetically modified organisms, known as “GMOs.” Violators could face infractions.
In a business-friendly, Republican-controlled Statehouse, Kruse acknowledged that the bill will certainly face “vigorous lobbying against it by big companies.”
Some academics and activists are concerned about the unknown effects of pervasive use of GMOs, but there’s little science that says genetically engineered foods are unsafe. Agribusinesses also fear mandatory labels would spook consumers. Most of the nation’s corn and soybeans are genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides and provide better yields in droughts.
It’s why the Farm Bureau and it’s powerful Indiana lobbying arm supports the use of GMOs.
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“It’s a valuable tool, and there’s a lot of benefits in efficiency and using the technology,” said Justin Schneider, Indiana Farm Bureau’s senior policy adviser and counsel.
Read full, original article: GMOs in your food? Indiana lawmaker pushes for labeling
