The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this week finally released long awaited proposed rules for labeling genetically modified foods, or GMOs. But for the last year or so, it seemed like these rules would never come up for public discussion.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced last month that the agency would likely miss the July deadline for introducing the final rules mandated under a controversial 2016 law, the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Act.
Nearly a year ago, USDA Senior Policy Analyst Andrea Huberty forecasted this problem. "We're still on track, but a little behind," she said. Soon after Huberty's remarks, food-industry groups warned the Office of Management (OMB) "that failing to implement federal GMO labeling legislation in a timely manner could cause major headaches for the food industry." The groups pegged OMB as the potential roadblock, and Purdue has said the OMB is to blame for the slow pace.
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