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- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
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Provides for the labeling of food or food products that contain a genetically modified material or that are produced with a genetically modified material
In Assembly Committee · Consumer Affairs And Protection · Sponsor Hakeem Jeffries
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S3908
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law and the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the labeling of genetically modified foods
Purpose
To require the labeling of genetically modified foods and other consumable products made from genetically modified materials.
Summary of provisions
This legislation adds a new Section 391-r to the General Business Law requiring the labeling of genetically modified foods. The first paragraph defines "genetically modified material", "genetically modified organism" and "produced with a genetically modified material" used with respect to food. The second paragraph prohibits the manufacture, sale or distribution of food or food products produced with or containing genetically modified material unless it is clearly labeled.
The third paragraph provides for penalties "for false labels under the general business law. The third section also provides an exemption from mislabeling for agricultural producers not produced with or containing a genetically modified material that may be contaminated by genetically modified materials through no fault of the agricultural producer.
The second section of this legislation adds to the Agriculture and Markets Law the same definitions added in Section 1 to the General Business Law.
Section 2 also provides for the misbranding of foods produced with or containing a genetically modified material within the Agriculture and Markets Law.
Existing law
There are currently no provisions of law concerning the labeling of foods containing or produced with genetically modified materials.
Justification
In the past few years, genetic engineering has enabled the development of new foods and crops. Genetic engineering is a process which allows for the altering of the genetic material contained in an organism to change the characteristics the organism will display as it develops. The introduction of these new genes is no longer limited to genes from similar species, as the genes from animals or other plant species can be added to create new character traits within a particular organism. The genes are generally introduced into the cells of the organism with the use of viruses, antibiotic-resistent genes, and bacteria.
The emergence of these new crops has initiated debate among countries, scientists, farmers, and environmentalists.
A variety of plants are being grown that contain genetically modified organisms, including corn, canola, cotton, wheat, apples and strawberries. It has been estimated that 60-70% of packaged grocery products contain some genetically modified organism ingredients. Consumers should be provided the information necessary to make informed decisions when choosing food products for their families. This legislation requires that the information be provided through product labeling requirement.
Legislative history
2009-10: S.2052 2007-08: S.3525 2005-06: S.1637 2004-04 S.1834 2001-02: S.3348
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first day of January next succeeding the day on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.