US senators agree to bipartisan deal on compulsory labelling of GM foods

US senators have agreed to a bipartisan deal for compulsory labelling of genetically modified foods, which comes just a week before the mandatory labelling law comes into effect in Vermont.

US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry chairman and Republican Senator Pat Roberts said the deal has beeen agreed after weeks of negotiations with Democrat Senator Debbie Stabenow, reported Npr.org.

The agreement is slightly different from Vermont’s law as it enables food companies to use a text label, a symbol or electronic label. On the other hand, the law passed by Vermont require companies to label their food products as being ‘produced with genetic engineering’ method, reported Associated Press.

Online and non-profit organisation Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has vehemently opposed the agreement.

OCA international director Ronnie Cummins said: "Today, Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Pat Roberts reached a deal that tramples on the rights of consumers, and the rights of states like Vermont to protect their own citizens.

"Instead, the Senate appears poised to pass a bill clearly intended to serve the interests of Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

"The anti-consumer bill unveiled by Stabenow and Roberts, bought and paid for by Big Food corporations, nullifies Vermont’s mandatory GMO labeling law, and replaces it with a law that replaces the requirement for clear, on package labels, with a convoluted, inconvenient and discriminatory scheme involving barcodes and 1-800 numbers."

Industry lobbying group Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has supported the deal.

GMA president Pamela Bailey was quoted by Associated Press as saying: "This bipartisan agreement ensures consumers across the nation can get clear, consistent information about their food and beverage ingredients and prevents a patchwork of confusing and costly state labelling laws."