Ohio Lawmaker Introduces GE Bill Package

Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) has introduced a package of bills
that would require foods with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients
to provide that information on product labels (H.R. 3553); affect how GE
pharmaceutical and industrial crops are grown, while establishing a tracking
system from cultivation to disposal (H.R. 3554); and protect farmers and
ranchers from economic harm purportedly caused by GE seeds, plants or
animals (H.R. 3555).

Introduced on December 2, 2011, the bills were referred to a number of
committees; the co-sponsors are mainly Democrats, although Republican
Representative Don Young (Alaska) signed onto the “Genetically Engineered
Food Right to Know Act.” In a December 9 statement, Kucinich referred to
examples of cross-contamination, stating “We must take steps to prevent
genetically engineered organisms from being grown in a way that could do
irreversible damage to our food supply. Under pressure from profit-minded industry, we have already allowed the spread of genetically modified crops into our agriculture at great cost to our economy and with unknown effects on our bodies.” See Press Release of Congressman Dennis Kucinich, December 9, 2011.