WASHINGTON- Senator Joni Ernst warns Vermont’s GMO labeling law set to take effect July 1st could cost Iowans more at the grocery store check-out. Ernst says there is huge economic impact to Iowa with the Vermont bill that was put into place.
?We have a lot of growers, manufacturers, product labeling as well in the state of Iowa and that one law coming out of the state of Vermont which demands everything be labeled if it has biotech food in it those consumers want to know that. The economic impact and I use Montgomery County as an example,? Ernst says.
Ernst says median household income in Montgomery County is a little over $44,000.
?That is the entire household income. The impact of that one law as it spreads across to manufacturers and those in Iowa they will have to label food separately for Vermont and perhaps other states as this continues to grow. That impact to a family in Montgomery County will be about $1,050 additional cost within their food budget,? Ernst says.
She adds many people are already trying to stretch their wallets paying for food.
?A thousand dollars is a lot of money for those families and it is just not sustainable. So unfortunately the bill we were proposing, Chairman Robert?s Biotech bill it did not pass so we are going to struggle and have to find another solution for this problem,? Ernst says.
Listen to the full interview with Senator Ernst here.
