FEBRUARY 19 – ARLINGTON, VA – On behalf of the nation’s grocery stores, Food Marketing Institute (FMI) today praises the action of U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan) to schedule a markup Thursday, February 25, at 10:00 a.m. on legislation to provide a consistent national solution, thus avoiding the consumer confusion and industry disruption that would emerge from differing state GMO labeling laws. FMI supports legislation that would provide a national GMO definition and preempts state GMO labeling laws, so consumers receive consistent messaging wherever they are in the U.S.
 
FMI Senior Vice President Government and Public Affairs Jennifer Hatcher said, “We are very pleased that Chairman Roberts has scheduled a markup on legislation that meets an urgent need to avoid the inevitable chaos the food industry faces if left without a federal government-created standard definition that eliminates multiple state approaches. Without immediate action, costs in the supply chain will escalate rapidly and once the resources are expended, consumer costs will inevitably rise. 
 
“We look forward to a quick legislative resolution to this issue in the United States Senate.”