Oregon’s fight over whether to label products with genetically-engineered ingredients continues, following a close vote in November, echoing similar conversations on the international stage.<\/p>\n
Taiwan just finalized labeling requirements that extend to retailers and restaurants, while Germany is agitating among European Union countries to form a coalition in favor of mandatory labeling.<\/p>\n
Germany’s debate is almost the reverse of Oregon’s. There, a majority of residents support mandatory GMO labeling. Oregon’s measure lost by 837 votes. A nationwide law is still far away, though pro-labeling groups say a majority of Americans are concerned about GMOs in their food.<\/p>\n
Many U.S. scientists often say that science is on the side of genetically modified crops being safe to eat. A former GMO critic, Bill Nye, a scientist who is famous for his series of instructional videos for young students, recently changed his position\u00a0to say that he thinks genetically-engineered crops are fine for the environment, after a visit to a Monsanto laboratory. Monsanto\u00a0is one of the largest GMO companies in the world, and donated nearly $6 million\u00a0to defeat the GMO labeling campaign in Oregon.<\/p>\n
However, in Germany, a group of scientists are the ones organizing a campaign to require labeling of anything that has genetically engineered organisms.<\/p>\n
A U.S. Department of Agriculture report\u00a0in May said that feds expected the German government to introduce its own labeling requirements this year. The country’s adopted agriculture report for 2015, though, backed off that proposal.<\/p>\n
Instead, the country is relying on a voluntary label that food companies can buy that says a product is made without GMOs, similar to the U.S.’s Non-GMO Project\u00a0logo.<\/p>\n
The European Union has set up a system that investigates each new genetically-engineered product before it goes to market, and can approve or refuse it. The German report says that process “exhaustively regulates” GMOs for the time being, but government officials clarify they still plan to push other countries to join them in an EU-wide push for labeling.<\/p>\n
That might be possible, since France joins Germany as largely resistant to GMO crops on the country’s agricultural land. Poland, Greece, Hungary, Austria and Luxembourg have all also been critical of GMO products.<\/p>\n
Taiwan, meanwhile, is rolling out its first phase of labeling July 1. All raw GMO materials — soybeans, corn, oilseed, etc. — must carry a label in grocery stores and markets. Eventually, all food sellers, including restaurants, must label GMO foods.<\/p>\n
The one exception is processed foods and beverages that use processed GMO products. For instance, if a corn syrup made with genetically-modified corn is used to make a pop, then the soda does not need to be labeled, even though the corn syrup is labeled.<\/p>\n
A USDA report\u00a0said the restaurant requirement was not anticipated, but isn’t unprecedented. The Taiwanese government required restaurants to disclose if they served U.S. beef in 2012, when traces of ractopamine, a meat additive that makes animal leaner, were found in beef imported into the country.<\/p>\n
If food is found to have any genetically-engineered organisms in it, but isn’t labeled, violators can face a fine from $1,000 to $130,000 and have their business license revoked.<\/p>\n
— Molly Harbarger<\/p>\n
mharbarger@oregonian.com
\n503-294-5923
\n@MollyHarbarger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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