WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate’s passage of legislation S. 764 is being called a victory for farmers, ranchers and sound science.

The bipartisan proposal to protect the use of biotechnology and prevent a patchwork of state-by-state food labeling legislation related to genetically modified organisms “is the most important vote for agriculture in the last 20 years,” said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. “We worked hard to ensure the marketplace works for everyone. I mean everyone.”

Roberts said the bill “allows farmers to continue using sound science to produce more food with less resources, gives flexibility to food manufacturers in disclosing information, and gives access to more food information that consumers demand.”

The American Farm Bureau Federation has supported the bill because it acts “to stop the expansion of state laws that threaten interstate marketing and effectively ignore science," explained AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The bill is not perfect, but it would avoid the chaos of 50 different state laws and a confusing array of labels for ingredients scientifically proven safe. Now that the Senate has done its job, we ask the House to move swiftly so this needed legislation can be delivered to the president for his signature.”

The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation stands with the AFBF and more than 800 agriculture and food organizations in calling for federal legislation to unify biotechnology labeling laws. The Senate bill would make the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for GMO labeling standards.

Multiple studies have shown GMO products are safe and that costs associated with GMO labeling will result in American families paying more for groceries.

Media: Contact Will Rodger, 202-406-3642, or Kari Barbic, 202-406-3672, AFBF communications.