A recent poll showed that 90 percent of Americans want to know if their food has been genetically engineered. Legislation signed by President Barack Obama in 2016 mandated that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has until July 2018 to establish rules for the labeling of products that include genetically modified organisms (GMO), but many lawmakers are concerned that the present administration will approve weaker standards.
In a recent letter to the secretary of agriculture, a group of Democratic representatives wrote, “As your department moves forward with implementation, we believe it is critical that USDA create guidelines that include all GMO foods and ensure GMO information is available to all Americans.”
One option being considered is allowing manufacturers to disclose GMO content online instead of directly on packaging. That step would deter consumers who don’t have ready access to the Internet.
