Maine Legislature Easily Passes GMO Labelling Bill

Maine Legislature Easily Passes GMO Labelling Bill

Handing genetically engineered seed giant Monsanto Co. another legislative defeat, the Maine Legislature has passed a bill requiring the labeling of foods made from genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

After the state’s House of Representatives approved LD 718 on Tuesday by a vote of 141 to 4, the Senate unanimously approved a similar version of the bill on Wednesday. Once differences are ironed out between the two measures, the final bill will head to Gov. Paul LePage’s desk.

“This is a huge step forward,” Heather Spalding, interim director of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Associate, told the Daily News. “This bill has broad appeal, and is about consumers’ right to know what’s in their food.” Like Connecticut’s newly passed GMO labeling law, Maine’s bill will not go into effect unless other states follow suit and pass similar measures, including New Hampshire, the only state to share a border with Maine.

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After reading the last sentence quoted here how can we consider this a victory for consumer disclosure? Since when do bills passing in one state depend on other states doing the same thing in order for it to go into effect? And if GMOS are so wonderful why are these companies fighting labels so hard? They should be proud to tell consumers they are in the foods they poisoned. I suppose in that case we will have to continue to get out lists of what companies sell foods with GMOs in them to keep people aware and boycotting their products... and voting politicians supporting them OUT of office.

Massachusetts Considers GMO Labelling Bill

"BOSTON — The debate over whether foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, should have to be labeled as such is picking up steam. This month, Connecticut became the first state to pass a GMO labeling law, and Maine quickly followed. But due to lobbying by opponents, neither law will take effect unless several other states adopt similar legislation — and Massachusetts may become one of those.

Five GMO labeling bills are pending here, and WBUR’s All Things Considered host Sacha Pfeiffer discussed the issue with Ed Stockman, of the group Massachusetts Right to Know GMOs, and Louis Finkel, executive vice president for government affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers Association."

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This just might start the ball rolling... Let's get every state on the East Coast to pass a law and put all of them into effect!

You Can Move The Discussion Along In NJ

NJ Bill Passes Committee

We Can Make A Difference.