Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Nesheed proposes bill requiring GMO labeling

Nesheed proposes bill requiring GMO labeling

Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-District 5, has proposed SB 155, which would require labeling on all genetically modified meat and fish (GMOs).

SB 155 amends Chapter 196 of the Missouri Revised Statues. The bill was introduced earlier this month.
Nasheed said she hopes the bill will increase awareness about GMOs.

“Right now, approximately 75 percent of the food in the supermarket is genetically modified,” she said. “People don’t know about it because there are no requirements for labeling.”

Nasheed said she proposed the bill because she believes people have a right to know about the food they are consuming.

Increased hardiness and improved animal health are both potential benefits of genetically modifying meat or fish, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, possible health impacts include allergens and transfer of antibiotic resistors.

“I truly believe that GMOs are here to stay,” Nasheed said. “If genetically modified products are going to be on the shelf, then the people should have a right to know.”

Nasheed compared the labeling requirement to the warnings on cigarettes.

Nasheed said she isn’t arguing that GMOs can cause cancer or allergens. She said she thinks if GMOs were labeled, then consumers may be more aware of what they are consuming.

“If they know that the products they buy contain GMOs, people will become more conscious of what these genetically modified foods entail and how it changes the natural condition of the meat,” she said

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