ARLINGTON, VA – Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association (NGA) issued today the following statement applauding President Obama for signing into law a biotechnology labeling bill that creates a national labeling standard for food products made with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Larkin said: “We appreciate President Obama taking action and signing into law this important bill that creates a national standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. With this new law, consumers will have access to more information and the confidence that the label they are reading contains the same information from coast to coast.
“NGA is proud to have been a part of the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, a coalition that brought together over 1,100 entities that represent our nation’s food supply system, to advocate for a commonsense solution for the confusing and harmful patchwork of state national labeling disclosure laws. We will continue to work on behalf of the independent supermarket industry throughout the rulemaking process at USDA to ensure implementation of this law is aligned with Congressional intent.”
About NGA: The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for close to one percent of the nation's overall economy and is responsible for generating $131 billion in sales, 944,000 jobs, $30 billion in wages, and $27 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers, state grocers associations, as well as manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.
Source: The National Grocers Association (NGA)
