Vermont’s GMO Food Labeling Legislation Likely To Be Challenged

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is expected to sign a bill passed by the legislature that requires food labels to clearly state the GMO ingredients in foods produced in the state. The law, which would go into effect on July 1, 2016, includes the requirement that products with GMO ingredients cannot claim to be “natural”. However, meat and dairy products from animals fed GMO feed need not be labeled GMO. And the law does not apply to medical foods or restaurant foods. While the law was welcomed by anti-GMO groups, some legal experts say it is highly likely it will face a 1st Amendment challenge.