Inconsistent Food Labeling Creates Havoc for Farmers,
Families and Food Distributors
Tabitha Bennett
American farmers have welcomed the responsibility
of feeding not only the country, but also other nations
with their hard work and dedication. For decades
farmers have toiled to get the most out of their crops
while preserving their land for another year. Farmers
have been using biotechnology, or GMOs (genetically
modified organisms) for generations to employ more
efficient farming practices and increase crop yields while
reducing soil erosion and greenhouse gases.
The use of GMOs has reduced the amount of
pesticides and herbicides farmers use. GMOs have also
allowed farmers to feed mass amounts of people using
less acreage. In fact, without biotechnology, feeding
the population would be impossible. A 2012 study
concluded that had biotechnology been unavailable
to the 17.3 million farmers who were using it, global
production levels would have required additional
plantings of 12.1 million acres of soybeans and 17
million acres of corn. With the development of cities
and the diverse terrain of different regions in the
United States, that type of space is neither available
nor affordable.
In recent years, some people have become afraid
of GMO foods, and have sought organic or natural
alternatives in place of the foods that have fed the world
for decades. Today groups are working to pass legislation
at the state level to create their own food labeling laws
regarding whether a food or food product contains
GMOs. State labeling laws are not only going to drive up
costs for farmers and food producers, they are going to
create issues for food deliverers as well. This dramatic
change to the food labeling system that everyone has
been accustomed to for decades is going to be costly in
many ways.
A Cornell University study estimates if states begin
to create their own labeling systems, grocery prices
will rise up to $500 per family, per year. If each state
requires all of its farmers, food producers, transporters,
and distributers to comply with up to fifty labeling rules,
the materials and extra effort to meet the patchwork of
criteria will cause prices to rise for everyone from the
farmer who plants the seed, to the citizen purchasing
8 West Virginia Farm Bureau News
food for their family dinner.
GMO labeling, especially at the state level, could
have several negative impacts on West Virginia and the
country as a whole. State labeling regulations could
cause inconsistencies and confusion for food producers
and distributors - not to mention the confusion for
consumers .When shoppers see a range of labels on their
once familiar products that vary based on which state
they came from, concerns about food safety will rise.
Moreover, food safety cannot be ensured when fifty
states are each monitoring food using their own distinct
rules. Before these laws begin to impact the farming
industry, the food production industry and the grocery
industry, something needs to be done.
The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed
the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which puts
food labeling laws in the hands of the FDA instead of
having states create their own labeling laws. Although
this was an important step, the work is not done. The
Senate must also pass legislation which will prohibit
states from crafting their own food labeling systems. We
need our senators to vote in support of this bill so food
labels can stay consistent, farmers can continue to do
their jobs, and families’ pocketbooks won’t be hit with
yet another expense. Action needs to be taken by all
farmers, grocers, and families to urge our U.S. Senators
to vote in support of this measure.
Organic Fertilizer and Lime
Doubled my hay crop in 1995
67% increase of cattle herd on same acreage
Summer 2013 produced 2 1/2 times more hay
“20 years field proven”
Only costs $14.00 per acre for both
Will not burn!
19-19-19 & pellet lime costs $300+
per acre and they burn!
Reduce your dependence on “foreign oil”
Help the environment with less oil use
Improve miles per gallon
Cut overall costs
American made synthetic oil. Amsoil
www.lubedealer.com/rwbenson
[email protected]
304-745-4710 after 6 p.m.