Mark Bittman: GMO labeling law could increase transparency on food production

President Obama recently signed the weakest [GMO] labeling law imaginable, and to most of the food movement, this felt like a loss.

But to be optimistic, . . .ย to me the law looks like a victory wrapped inside a defeat.

. . . .

Producers may use a text label, a symbol, a toll-free number that consumers can call for more information, or a code that can be scanned with a smartphone .ย . . .

At first glance, it seems like another tacit agreement between government and industry to rob consumers of our right to know whatโ€™s in our food.

But what if this backfires? What if the food industry has inadvertently opened the door to a transparency revolution? . . . .ย Has the argument that food productionย processesย are as important as ingredients begun to make sense to policy makers?

. . . .

Of course, there is much more we could know about our food . . . .ย For example: . . Were antibiotics routinely administered to animals? . . . .ย What farming practices were used? How much water was required?

. . . .

[N]ow that the new labeling law has opened the disclosure door a crack, why not open it wide. . .?

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post:ย G.M.O. Labeling Law Could Stir a Revolution

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