Agribusiness Tells US Congress--Don't Label GE Foods
Labels on biotech foods would raise prices-US industry

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. food prices would rise if Congress
follows the lead of the European Union and passes legislation requiring
labels on products made with bioengineered crops, industry groups told the
House Agriculture Committee on Friday.

The politically powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National
Association of Manufacturers joined 33 food and farm organizations in urging
Texas Rep. Larry Combest, the Republican head of the committee, to oppose any
labelling legislation.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat, late last year introduced a bill that
would mandate labels on all gene-spliced altered food, food ingredients,
dietary supplements, animal feed, and products made from animals given
biotech feeds.

The legislation has alarmed food industry groups, who contend that biotech
foods are safe and thoroughly tested before given government approval.

"This would require segregation from farm to supermarket, and would result in
higher food costs and lower farm prices," said the letter to Combest. The
industry letter did not give any estimates of how much food prices might
increase at the grocery store or in restaurants.

Mandatory labels would also "send the misleading message that the government
is not confident of the safety of the U.S. food supply," the letter added.

Consumer and green groups have stepped up pressure on the government in
recent months to require labels, or a moratorium on sales of biotech foods.
They contend that not enough is yet known about long-term safety and
environmental effects.

The European Union, Japan, South Korea and other nations also are planning to
require special labels on genetically altered foods. Some 140 nations sent
delegates to Montreal this week to negotiate a United Nations pact to
regulate trade in genetically modified seeds, crops and other organisms.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently mulling whether it should
tighten regulations for the approval of new biotech foods.

Some U.S. food organizations have said they would support stricter rules
forcing companies to turn over studies and tests about the safety of new
products. But the industry is adamantly opposed to labelling requirements.

The industry is "actively working to educate America's consumers about the
benefits of biotechnology," the letter said. "We believe that these methods
are much more effective in communicating complex information than are food
labels."

Other groups signing the letter included the American Farm Bureau, Grocery
Manufacturers of America, American Soybean Association, American Meat
Institute, Biotechnology Industry Organization, and the National Restaurant
Association.