Washington Senate Panel Hears Debate On GMO Labeling | Northwest Public Radio

Washington Senate Panel Hears Debate On GMO Labeling | Northwest Public Radio

A Washington State Senate Committee heard testimony last week regarding the state initiative that calls for labeling genetically modified foods. Steve Jackson has more.

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Initiative 522 would require that consumers be told if any food product contains GMOs -- genetically modified organisms. Many foods can be engineered by taking genes from other organisms. Examples are to make crops resist pesticides, or animals grow larger.

Although 60 countries require such labeling, the US does not.

The Senate Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Committee heard from several panelists both in favor and opposed to the labeling requirement.

Michael Hanson is a scientist at Consumers Union, who has worked on GMO issues for several years. He says there are health concerns linked with GMO products, including introduction of new allergens, as well as increased levels of toxins, or changes in nutritional value.

Even so, Hanson says there is no government safety testing of products before they are allowed on the market, but rather, the companies that produce GMOs are allowed to do the testing.