Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) is extremely disappointed the U.S. Senate failed to pass S. 2609, a bill that would have established national voluntary GMO labeling standards.
“We are disappointed the Senate did not follow in the footsteps of the U.S. House of Representatives to move forward with national voluntary GMO labeling standards,” says Daryl Cates, ISG chairman and part of the ISG delegation meeting with legislators about this issue in Washington, D.C., this week. “We thank Sen. Mark Kirk for voting in favor of S. 2609 and we urge the Senate to find a solution to this critical issue. We need a national standard before the Vermont law creates confusion for consumers and reduces choices for farmers like me.”
S. 2609 would have instructed the USDA to establish a set of standards within two years for labeling foods that contain or may contain bioengineering. The bill also would have directed the USDA to conduct an outreach and education campaign about the safety of bioengineered food.
Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) is a membership organization serving more than 43,000 Illinois soybean growers. ISG provides advocacy in Springfield and Washington, D.C., to promote the interests of Illinois soybean farmers and programs that enhance soybean production and demand. Voice for Soy, the online action center supported by ISG, allows growers to easily connect with legislators and regulators to advocate for Illinois agriculture. For more information about ISG, visit the websitewww.ilsoygrowers.com.
