Oregon to ban GM salmon and mandate GMO labeling

 (Organic Slant) The state of Oregon recently introduced a trio of legislative bills that would require all genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) be properly labeled, as well as prohibit the import and sale of GM salmon, the first transgenic animal to ever be preliminarily approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human consumption.

H.B. 2175, whose chief sponsor is Representative Deborah Boone (D-Cannon Beach), provisions that all foods containing or made with genetically-engineered (GE) material be properly labeled in the state of Oregon. Any food products made with or containing GMOs that are not properly labeled beginning on January 1, 2014, will be deemed misbranded, and its manufacturer held liable for breaking the state’s food labeling requirements.

H.B. 2530 prohibits GE salmon not only from being cultivated and farmed within the state of Oregon, but also from being imported and sold there. As we reported in years past, the “Frankensalmon,” known officially as “AquAdvantage,” was approved by the FDA against the will of the people, and without adequate safety studies proving the fish was safe for human consumption and that it would not contaminate wild fish.

In the event that H.B. 2530 is not passed, H.B. 3177 is waiting in the wings as a backup. This bill, which was proposed by both Rep. Paul Holvey (D-Eugene) and Rep. David Gomberg (D-Central Coast), proposes to require that GE salmon be properly labeled. Like H.B. 2175, H.B. 3177 designates that all GE salmon sold without a proper label is misbranded, and thus in violation of the law.

You can view the content of the three bills, as well as their individual statuses, at the following three links:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB2175
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB2530
https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2013R1/Measures/Overview/HB3177

The Oregon House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources recently heard testimony on the three bills. And supporters of GMO labeling throughout the state have been busy spreading the word about the lack of proper GMO safety testing, and the fact that GMOs have been linked to causing organ damage, gastrointestinal problems, allergies, and even cancer.

Oregon consumers have the right to know whether or not the food they purchase was produced using genetic engineering. Genetic engineering of plants and animals often causes unintended consequences. Manipulating genes and inserting them into organisms is an imprecise process. The results are not always predictable or controllable, and they can lead to adverse health or environmental consequences.

The Center for Food Safety, a nonprofit public interest and environmental advocacy group, says GMO labeling legislation has been proposed in nearly half of all states. And even though a single one has yet to pass, awareness about the presence of GMOs throughout the food supply is growing.