Food that contains genetically modified ingredients would have to be
labeled as such under a proposed amendment to a New Mexico state law.
Sen. Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, introduced an amendment to the New
Mexico Food Act to address what he calls a "common-sense consumer
information" issue. He spoke Friday in the Capitol Rotunda to a group of
about 30 people supporting the initiative.
While officials in a
number of other states have discussed similar proposals, New Mexico
would be the first state to adopt such a law.
The labeling rule
would apply to all food products that are offered for sale in the state
and calls for the information to be "displayed in a manner that is
conspicuous and easily understandable by the consumer."
Commercial feed for livestock that is composed of more than one percent
of genetically modified materials also would require such a label.
Beverly Idsinga, executive director of the group, which represents
about 150 dairies in the southern half of the state, said laws that
allow for labeling of organic products already give consumers choice
about food ingredients.
"I think it would actually raise food
costs in New Mexico," Idsinga said of labeling genetically modified
ingredients. "I don't think the larger companies would even sell to New
Mexico anymore, just because the cost would be too high for them to have
special labels on some of their products."
Idsinga said she believes that while genetically modified plants are
viewed as bad by a certain segment of society, they are "still good for
America because we have to feed so many more people with what we have
now."
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