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The DARK Act

Here’s wha he bill would do:

 · Vermon, Connecicu and Maine have passed legisla-

ion ha would require labels on foods wih geneically

engineered ingrediens.2 If passed, he DARK Ac would

override hese sae laws and preven oher saes from

requiring labeling in he fuure.

· No only would sae labeling rules be blocked by he

DARK Ac, bu a provision in he bill would prohibi

sae and local governmens from passing legislaion

ha would direcly or indirecly impac culivaion of

GMOs, such as a ban on planing GMOs or spraying

GMO-associaed pesicides.

 · The DARK Ac would limi he abiliy of he Food and

Drug Adminisraion (FDA) o ever se a naional man-

daory labeling requiremen by enshrining he currenfailed policy of volunary labeling ino law. The FDA’s

long-sanding policy has been ha companies are al-

lowed o volunarily label heir foods if hey conain

GMOs.3 Under his volunary policy, no companies have

chosen o disclose he use of GMOs on heir labels.

 · The DARK Ac ses up a sysem for geting GMO foods

approved by FDA ha is essenially he same as he

inadequae sysem in place now, in which companies

noify FDA ha hey hink he food is “subsanially

equivalen” o is non-engineered version.4

H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act sponsored by MikePompeo (R-KS) and a brainchild of the Grocery Manufacturers Association(GMA),1 would make the already inadequate approval process for genetically

engineered (GMO) foods even worse. The bill would make voluntary labeling

for GMO foods the national standard and strip away consumers’ right to know

by blocking all state efforts to require labeling of GMO foods. That’s why manyadvocates for labeling GMOs refer to this bill as the “Deny Americans the Right

to Know Act” or DARK Act. In July, the bill passed out of the House. The next

step in the process is the Senate.

Fact Sheet • July 2015

FOOD

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1 Hopkinson, Jenny and Helena Bottemiller Evich. “Food industry

Politico. January 7, 2014.

  Businessweek . June 12, 2013; National Cotton Council. -

 

  - New York Times. December 19, 2013.

- Contributions. Accessed January 2015.

 · The “naural” label on foods has never been adequaely

defined or regulaed by he FDA.5 This bill would give

federal regulaors he job of defining “naural” on food

labels, presumably so hey can say ha GMOs are

allowed in naural foods, somehing he food indus-

ry wans o do.6 The bill would also block saes from

prohibiing he use of a naural label on a food conain-

ing GMOs.

 ·

The DARK Ac insrucs he USDA o se up sandardsfor non-GMO labels, essenially urning somehing ha

is currenly happening in he markeplace ino a USDA

program.

The Grocery Manufacurers Associaion (GMA) and is mem-

ber companies have poured over $80 million ino poliical ac-

ion commitees o help block GMO labeling ballo iniiaives

in California, Washingon, Oregon and Colorado.7 The passage

of H.R. 1599 would ensure ha he GMA and is member com

panies coninue o profi by misleading consumers. I would

codify exising failed policies ha le he indusry coninue

o use unesed, unnecessary GMO ingrediens wihou real

disclosure, while sripping away he power of he saes o

democraically pass legislaion ha proecs consumers’ righ

o know wha’s in heir food.

There are bills in Congress ha would give consumers he righ

o know by requiring mandaory GMO labeling. Senaor Boxe(D-CA) and Represenaive DeFazio (D-OR) have inroduced

biparisan legislaion called he Geneically Engineered Food

Righ-o-Know Ac, which would require labeling of foods ha

conain geneically modified ingrediens. These bills are he

righ approach o a naionwide sandard for GMO labeling.

Tell your Senaors o oppose H.R. 1599 and proec your righ

o know! You can reach hem by calling (877) 434-0011.

For more information:

web: www.foodandwaerwach.org email: info@fwwach.org

 phone: (202) 683-2500 (DC) • (510) 922-0720 (CA)

 Copyright © July 2015 Food & Water Watch

Endnotes