Legislation limits state rights to biotech labeling: nanotech to follow?

Filed in archive Government on April 4, 2006

In a move that could have repercussions for nanotech industries, the Free New Mexican reports that a bill forbidding states from labeling food products unless the federal government allows it has passed through the House of Representatives without a single committee hearing. According to the paper:

"The bill - named the Food Uniformity Act - has been slammed by opponents as a bow to big agribusiness and those who don't want states to be allowed to label foods containing genetically altered organisms.

Opponents say the bill came about because certain large agriculture and food-production companies - such as Novartis, General Mills and Monsanto - dislike the increasing efforts by activists and others to pass laws banning GMOs or requiring all GMO foods to be labeled as such.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Missouri , who sponsored the bill, countered that, 'In today's worldwide market, it is essential that we have a mechanism for a thorough, orderly food labeling system based on safe, scientific guidelines.'"

Since the US, unlike the EU, requires no labeling of GMO foods, this bill could be construed as preventing any such labeling by state and local governments.

Nanotech labeling seems equally unlikely, at least in the US. The National Science Foundation estimates that half of all commercial products will contain some result of nanotechnology in less than ten years, so it wouldn't be long until almost every product would need a "nano inside" label.

However, it's easy to read more into this legislation than just labeling and wonder if it could pave the way for similar laws restricting states' rights to limit the production and sale of nanotech and biotech products.