Mark Bittman: GMO labeling law could increase transparency on food production

President Obama recently signed the weakest [GMO] labeling law imaginable, and to most of the food movement, this felt like a loss.

But to be optimistic, . . . to me the law looks like a victory wrapped inside a defeat.

. . . .

Producers may use a text label, a symbol, a toll-free number that consumers can call for more information, or a code that can be scanned with a smartphone . . . .

At first glance, it seems like another tacit agreement between government and industry to rob consumers of our right to know what’s in our food.

But what if this backfires? What if the food industry has inadvertently opened the door to a transparency revolution? . . . . Has the argument that food production processes are as important as ingredients begun to make sense to policy makers?

. . . .

Of course, there is much more we could know about our food . . . . For example: . . Were antibiotics routinely administered to animals? . . . . What farming practices were used? How much water was required?

. . . .

[N]ow that the new labeling law has opened the disclosure door a crack, why not open it wide. . .?

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: G.M.O. Labeling Law Could Stir a Revolution

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