The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has urged Congress to take immediate action on GMO labeling and work to establish a federal standard that would preempt state GMO food labeling mandates before Vermont’s biotechnology food labeling law takes effect in July.

The NMPF Board of Directors expressed concern at its recent summer meeting that, despite months of negotiation in the Senate, Congress still has not acted to establish a uniform national disclosure policy for food biotechnology information.

The concern is greatly related to the Vermont law and the precedent it may set for other states to adopt similar approaches. Vermont’s GMO labeling law has already caused disruptions in the marketplace, and NMPF fears that further worsening of this controversial situation will severely harm farmers and threaten the continued utilization of agricultural biotechnology.

“Plants produced through biotechnology not only are completely safe for consumers, they also improve our environment by reducing energy, water and pesticide use,” said Randy Mooney, Chairman of NMPF and a dairy farmer from Rogersville, Missouri.  “Farmers have overwhelmingly adopted these crop technologies because they increase productivity while enhancing agricultural sustainability.”

NMPF’s Board of Directors and Young Cooperator national advisory council have spent the week on Capitol Hill, visiting with their elected officials to reinforce the need for the Senate to reach agreement on a uniform national standard as quickly as possible. 

“There is no difference in milk or meat from cows that have consumed biotech crops, and that’s why any federal labeling disclosure needs to ensure the common-sense treatment of animal feed,” Mooney said.