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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 17, 2013 12:30 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Peter J. Daley |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Genetically engineered food labeling |
| In the near future I plan to introduce legislation that will address the labeling of genetically engineered food in Pennsylvania. My legislation requires that genetically engineered food be labeled. This requirement also includes seeds intended to produce food. Consumers are provided ingredient lists and nutritional information for the food they buy but are not afforded any information on if their food has been genetically modified. Genetically engineered ingredients are potentially harmful and consumers should have the right to know what exactly they are eating. Over 60 countries have requirements on labeling genetically engineered food but the United States has no federal or state regulations addressing this problem. I believe our strong agricultural state is a great place to get the conversation started. Science is relatively split on whether or not genetically engineered food has negative health effect. Even with that uncertainly the right thing to do is to provide consumers with as much information as possible so they can make their own informed decisions. If the producers of these foods believe there is no harm in genetically modified foods then there should not be resistance to label the food as such. It is important that we protect our consumers by providing them with as much information as possible on the foods they buy and ingest. This can be accomplished thru this legislation. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1770