GMO Update: VT Labeling Bill Passes Committee, Heads for House Vote

Yesterday Vermont’s House Judiciary committee approved H. 112, which would require labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients. The VT House of Representatives will vote on the bill later this week. It isn’t expected to pass this year, due to time constraints: the legislative session ends this weekend, and there won’t be time to get it through the Senate before then.

But if passed by the House, H. 112 will be taken up by the Senate when it reconvenes in January of next year. The bill’s early strong performance is (yet another) indicator of the overwhelming shift in public consciousness — and public policy — towards more responsible labeling of foods containing GMOs.

Last year Monsanto broke out its jackboots to trample a 2012 labeling initiative in VT, and then spent a bazillion bucks to (narrowly) defeat CA’s prop 37 last November. But the GMO labeling issue (like agitation for slavery abolition, or hand-washing for physicians, or women’s suffrage, or civil rights for minorities, etc. etc. etc.) just won’t seem to accommodate the desperate demands of those in power who wish it would go away.

Instead — so sorry, Monsanto! — it just keeps gaining momentum, as people around the country become infected with the wild and crazy desire to know what they’re eating, and what they’re feeding their families.

Explore here, for more on the GMO and/or GMO labeling issues so deserving of public (and therefore continued legislative) attention:

What Can You Do?

The movement for fair labeling of products containing GMOs grows daily, as ever more people realize what’s at stake. If you’re in the VT area, contact Vermont Right to Know GMOs to get involved!

Don’t live in VT? No worries! Use these strategies to clamor for (long overdue) change, regarding our approach to GMOs and the labeling thereof:

Vote your dollar! Buy organic or Non-GMO food every chance you get, until we see change on this issue. Reward producers who aren’t trying to trick you into eating stuff you wouldn’t buy if they labeled it. Go here to learn more about non-GMO shopping.
The only thing legislators hate more than lawsuits is bad press! Write a letter to the editor of your favorite local publication, and share information about this issue on all your social networks — the more people who know about GMO labeling issues, the harder it is for politicians to crumple like wet paper bags before Monsanto’s legal foot-stomping.
If you live in a state with pending GMO labeling legislation, agitate! Call, write, and generally pester your representatives to demand accurate labeling of genetically engineered foods. Volunteer with a local Right to Know Group. Vote! And bring people with you!
Join GMO Free USA, to supplement legislative action by also taking the labeling issue directly to food manufacturers. Recent history tells us we can’t depend on legislators not to drop that GMO labeling ball. By applying dollar-driven pressure to the bottom line, we can pressure the food industry to sell what we’re interested in buying — and each ounce of pressure applied to the problem exponentially increases the likelihood of progress!