Do you support Obama’s GM food labelling law?

In the US Obama signed a bill to require GM labelling on foods. This was in 2016 and the USDA have two years to work out what type of GM products will be declared, how the labelling is applied, and which businesses will be mandated etc. Small businesses (under $1,000,000 sales annually) will be exempt, as will restaurants, and some corn syrup, or so it appears from this interesting article modernfarmer.com...

I made some comments in another thread about GM food but didn’t want to derail it so decided to make this topic.
Here in the UK, food is heavily regulated from farm, to factory, to point of sale. Many additives, methods of production, and chemicals which are used in the US are banned in the UK and EU, Nanny state maybe, but compare the difference between McDonald’s fries bought in the EU to those sold in the US. From being harvested to becoming fries here the potatoes share two other ingredients, cooking oil and salt. In the US the multiple additives are shocking, there are 19 ingredients!

That said, McDonald’s in the US are required to declare their additives, and they do, unashamedly on their website, so if you are stupid enough to eat US McD fries then you get what you deserve as far as I’m concerned. But I digress.

So on to GM food. Here in the UK there is zero commercial growing of GM crops but lots are imported for bio-fuel and animal feed. A minimal percentage of our food on sale for human consumption is derived from GM produce (compared to around 75% in US), this is mainly low grade cooking oil, cheap breakfast cereal products, and imported sweet/candy US products like Twinkies.
All food sold in the UK, with GM plant or GM micro-organism ingredients such as yeast, is labelled on its package, or required to be stated on a menu at restaurants etc, so that we, the people, get to choose.

So my question, do you support Obama’s GM food labelling law?

Is this government tyranny? A breach of business rights? Lefty lame limp wristed legislation?
Does anyone know what Trump thinks about GM labelling?

I’m sitting on the fence with this, it ain’t my country so you guys do what you will, I’m just happy that my nation is not the testing ground for GM food and I will probably choose it in twenty years or so if it seems there are no long term affects. I’m not even saying there are any risks, just I don’t know, so for as long as I have the option to choose non GM I will.
I am genuinely curious if this is an issue to US members though, and I probably won’t have much more to add myself so I’ve put in the mud-pit for the more lively discussion I usually enjoy reading between US members.

...oh and before anyone says it, of course the only food you can trust is the food you raise yourself, so if you wanna be smug about your homestead or farm I'm pleased for you genuinely, but the overwhelming majority of people do not have that luxury.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

it doesn't matter what this labeling is... the rollbacks are still in progress

I support it, people should be allowed to know exactly what they are buying.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

just my opinion but food labeling has degenerated into a farce :

with items now labeled " GMO free "

or " gluten free "

its not about " choice " - its fear mongering hysteria - whipped up for profit

the " organic " label = a joke - again for profit not choice or health

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Yes.

In general, I'm anti-regulation from government, but there are times when regulation is necessary.

When it comes to the food that we as a nation are consuming, I think that the consumer should be able to know if controversial ingredients are used to produce the food that they willingly purchase.

I could go on and on (I started to, but then deleted the paragraphs), but that explains it in a nutshell.

They should ban glyphosate. There have been study's where they do a chemical analysis of non gmo products and found that they contiained glyphosate janeshealthykitchen.com... Crop run off spreads the glyphosate everywhere and makes its way into natural foods.

They know this junk is bad too. This guy says it's completely safe to drink a glass of it but won't do it because he says he isn't an idiot.

Thanks for the replies, having the informed choice doesn't seem a bad idea to me.
Interesting point raised about profit and fear mongering, could that be the issue in the states? I only know in Europe it is law set by government and the only ones who don't like it would be GM sellers as majority of people don't choose it.

Are "rollbacks" a term for a president reversing previous president bills or whatever?

Anything that gives more power to the individual when it comes to choosing what goes into their body is a good thing in my opinion. I definitely support labeling of Food that contains GMOs, but I am doubting it will happen. Unless Congress makes a law that requires labeling of GMOs there isn’t any long term protection for the consumer.

No.

I think it is stupid.

originally posted by: Grimpachi
No.

I think it is stupid.

Lol that's the spirit!
I'm on the fence as your country, but I hope someone bites because you seem up for it

Have you heard about the milk they drink in the USA?.

originally posted by: testingtesting
Have you heard about the milk they drink in the USA?.

I haven't, so in keeping with the thread may I ask what specific issues are you referring to, and are the consumer products clearly labelled?

originally posted by: ignorant_ape
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

just my opinion but food labeling has degenerated into a farce :

with items now labeled " GMO free "

or " gluten free "

its not about " choice " - its fear mongering hysteria - whipped up for profit

the " organic " label = a joke - again for profit not choice or health

Thank you!

The anti gmo people are scientifically illiterate.

Science denialism: Not just for 300 year old republicans.

Everyone is pro science until it meets their ideology.

a reply to: projectvxn

300 year old republicans lmao!
...so do you support the bill or not?

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I do not.

It's a scam by the organic industry based on the ignorance of the science of genetics that permeates the public.

No one expects people to have a degree in genetics. But logic is expected.

a reply to: projectvxn

Interesting points, any takers want to have at this like a pirate?

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy
Yes I supported it then and I support it now. However I think it needs to go further and expose the “organic” movement for what it is. While they are attempting to head in the right direction, there are leaps and bounds to be made in food quality and production. We need to go back to local farms and local farmers using real and natural seeds the way nature intended it.

Why not, people should be able to have a choice. I imagine, the way things are going the orange one will try and undo this.

I support it. I want to know what I'm eating. It's basic food safety and free market choice.

As it is now, I tend to trust products that label themselves. I'll buy something 100% Of the time labeled GMO free over something that isn't. I'm basically Vegan with a few products that might not be like certain breads or pasta. I tend, as it is now to buy processed foods labeled Vegan, GMO Free, or Organic exclusivly unless I don't have a choice or I'm somewhere were that can't happen.

The rest of the time I buy a lot of natural whole foods...fresh veggies, nuts and fruit. And I try to get Organic when affordable.

originally posted by: projectvxn
a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

I do not.

It's a scam by the organic industry based on the ignorance of the science of genetics that permeates the public.

No one expects people to have a degree in genetics. But logic is expected.

So you are against people having a choice of what they eat ? Isn't that a little authoritarian....