Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy

The governor of Connecticut hosted a ceremonial signing outside an organic restaurant in the city of Fairfield on Wednesday to commemorate the state’s passing of what could be the first GMO labeling law of its type in the United States.

Voters in Connecticut decided back in June  to approve a bill requiring that all foods meant for human  consumption that contain genetically-modified ingredients be  properly labeled. Unless some neighboring states in the region  follow suit, however, the status of that law remains in limbo.

The Connecticut bill requires at least four other Northeastern  states with a combined population of no fewer than 20 million to  approve similar acts before it can officially go on the books.  And while so far proponents of a GMO labeling initiative have  found allies in one adjacent state, it could very well be a  long-time coming before the proper support is rallied.

Voters in Maine have already elected to pass a near-identical  measure, but residents in a region that includes Massachusetts,  New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont  must come together to do the same in at least three other  locales.

Outside the Catch A Healthy Habit restaurant in Fairfield on  Wednesday, Gov. Dannel Malloy implored his counterparts to  consider joining in their fight.

“I am proud that leaders from each of the legislative  caucuses can come together to make our state the first in the  nation to require the labeling of GMOs,” Malloy said,  according to Fairfield’s   Daily Voice. “The end result is a law that shows our  commitment to consumers’ right to know while catalyzing other  states to take similar action.”

Tara Cook-Littman, the director of GMO Free Connecticut,  applauded the efforts by advocates in the state and country  working towards new laws.

“As the catalyst for GMO labeling in the United States,  Connecticut residents should feel proud,” she told  reporters. “We are hopeful that legislators throughout the  Northeast will follow the lead of Governor Malloy and all our  legislative champions by passing laws that give consumers  transparency in labeling. It is a great honor for all of us to  stand with Governor Malloy as he signs the first in the nation  GMO labeling law.”

More than 60 countries across the world have approved mandatory  labeling laws for GMO foods already, and polling suggests that  the vast  majority of Americans are in favor of doing the same. So far,  in fact, almost half of all US states have introduces bill that,  if approved, would either require labeling of GMO foods or  prohibit them altogether.

"Surveys have always found 80 to 95 percent of people wanting  labeling," Consumers Union senior scientist Michael Hansen  told the Rodale News  health site back in April. "People are paying attention to  food, and because of that they're more interested in GMO issues  and buying food that's more local and food without pesticides and  other added ingredients."

Now with Connecticut taking the lead, Gov. Malloy hopes other  states will do the same.

"This is a beginning, and I want to be clear what it is a  beginning of," he told the Fairfield Citizen before  Wednesday’s event. "It is a national movement that will  requiring (food) labeling."

"People need to demand GMO labeling," Malloy told     WFSB News on the day of the ceremonial signing. "Some  companies are doing this and we need to move in that  direction."

"This is the time," he said to the Citizen. "You  better get ready; people are coming and this is not a movement  you are going to stop."

Malloy was flanked by state lawmakers from both the right and the  left at Wednesday’s event, and Republicans and Democrats alike  are now aligning themselves in the fight.

“This bill moves forward and reinforces our fundamental right  to know what is in our food so we can make informed choices about  what we feed our families,” said Rep. Tony Hwang  (R-Fairfield-Trumbull), according to reporter   Christina Chiarelli. “Consumers may or may not wish to  purchase foods that they know to be genetically modified, but  they need the information made available to them to make those  informed choices.”

“Passing this bill is courageous and monumental,” added  Rep. Philip Miller (D-Essex). “It is an affirmation for  healthy, sustainable agriculture and responsible stewardship of  our food supply. The ever growing grassroots efforts of  Connecticut citizens has come to fruition with the passing of  this legislation. I thank Governor Malloy for being a champion of  our right to participate in building our economy as fully  informed consumers and citizens.”

Currently 15 nations in the European Union require labels on GMO  products, and Zambia, Benin and Serbia have all instated  prohibitions against products. Just earlier this week, China for  the fifth time blocked a cargo  shipment of US corn from entering the country, citing  concerns of GMO contamination.

SOURCE: http://rt.com/usa/connecticut-malloy-gmo-labels-148/