Genetic Engineering News List A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO REQUIRE LABELING OF FOOD AND MILK PRODUCTS SOLD IN THIS STATE THAT ARE OR THAT CONTAIN GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND OR MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS FROM ANIMALS THAT HAVE RECEIVED RECOMBINANT BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE (RBGH). http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H446 http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H446v0.pdf http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H446v1.pdf House Bill 446 2011-2012 Session Labeling Requirements/GMFs & rBGH in Food. - Status: Ref To Com On Agriculture on 03/24/2011 Sponsors Primary: Bradley; Co: Faison;  Harrison; Attributes: Public; History Date Chamber Action 03/23/2011 House Filed 03/24/2011 House Passed 1st Reading 03/24/2011 House Ref To Com On Agriculture Note: a bill listed on this website is not law until passed by the House and the Senate, ratified, and, if required, signed by the Governor. http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2011&BillID=H446 <> Filed http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H446v0.pdf GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2011 H D HOUSE DRH11106-MD-51 (02/28) Short Title: Labeling Requirements/GMOs & rBGH in Food. (Public) Sponsors: Representative Bradley. Referred to: *DRH11106-MD-51* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT TO REQUIRE LABELING OF FOOD AND MILK PRODUCTS SOLD IN THIS 2 STATE THAT ARE OR THAT CONTAIN GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND 3 OR MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS FROM ANIMALS THAT HAVE RECEIVED 4 RECOMBINANT BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE (RBGH). 5 Whereas, there is insufficient longitudinal data about the long-term consequences to 6 human and animal health of ingesting genetically modified food; and 7 Whereas, there is insufficient longitudinal data about the long-term consequences to 8 human and animal health of ingesting milk or milk products from animals that have received 9 recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), despite the fact that the FDA has determined that 10 there is no significant difference between milk from cows treated with recombinant bovine 11 growth hormone (rBGH) and milk from cows that have not been so treated; and 12 Whereas, a federal government agency's conclusion regarding a product's safety, 13 reached after limited study, is not a guarantee of that safety and does not invalidate public 14 concern for unknown side effects; and 15 Whereas, the General Assembly and citizens of North Carolina have legitimate 16 concerns about the long-term health consequences of ingesting food that has been manipulated 17 through genetic engineering; and 18 Whereas, the General Assembly and citizens of North Carolina have legitimate 19 concerns about the impact on human and animal health of genetically modified food and milk 20 and milk products from animals that have received recombinant bovine growth hormone 21 (rBGH); and 22 Whereas, these concerns give rise to a substantial governmental interest in requiring 23 the labeling of food and milk sold in this State that are or that contain genetically modified food 24 and of milk or milk products sold in this State from animals that have received recombinant 25 bovine growth hormone (rBGH); Now, therefore, 26 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 27 SECTION 1. G.S. 106-121 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 28 "(8b) The term 'genetically modified food' means food the genetic structure of 29 which has been modified by direct human manipulation in a manner that 30 does not occur under natural conditions, including through any of the 31 following genetic engineering methods: recombinant DNA and RNA 32 techniques, cell fusion, gene deletion or doubling, introduction of exogenous 33 genetic material, alteration of the position of a gene, or similar procedure. 34 General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2011 Page 2 H446 [Filed] The term also includes food that is, or is from, the progeny or genetic line of 1 an animal or plant described in the preceding sentence." 2 SECTION 2. G.S. 106-130 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 3 "§ 106-130. Foods deemed misbranded. 4 A food shall be deemed to be misbranded: 5 ... 6 (16) If it is a genetically modified food, unless the food bears a conspicuous label 7 identifying it as a genetically modified food in a font at least as large as the 8 font of a label required by subdivision (9) of this section." 9 SECTION 3. G.S. 106-268(c) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 10 "(c) The term "misbranded" means: 11 ... 12 (4) If it contains milk from an animal that has been injected with, or otherwise 13 received, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), unless it bears a 14 prominent label containing a statement that the product contains milk from 15 an animal that received recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH)." 16 SECTION 4. This act becomes effective October 1, 2011. Edition 1 http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H446v1.pdf GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2011 H 1 HOUSE BILL 446 Short Title: Labeling Requirements/GMFs & rBGH in Food. (Public) Sponsors: Representative Bradley (Primary Sponsor). For a complete list of Sponsors, see Bill Information on the NCGA Web Site. Referred to: Agriculture. March 24, 2011 *H446-v-1* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT TO REQUIRE LABELING OF FOOD AND MILK PRODUCTS SOLD IN THIS 2 STATE THAT ARE OR THAT CONTAIN GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND 3 OR MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS FROM ANIMALS THAT HAVE RECEIVED 4 RECOMBINANT BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE (RBGH). 5 Whereas, there is insufficient longitudinal data about the long-term consequences to 6 human and animal health of ingesting genetically modified food; and 7 Whereas, there is insufficient longitudinal data about the long-term consequences to 8 human and animal health of ingesting milk or milk products from animals that have received 9 recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), despite the fact that the FDA has determined that 10 there is no significant difference between milk from cows treated with recombinant bovine 11 growth hormone (rBGH) and milk from cows that have not been so treated; and 12 Whereas, a federal government agency's conclusion regarding a product's safety, 13 reached after limited study, is not a guarantee of that safety and does not invalidate public 14 concern for unknown side effects; and 15 Whereas, the General Assembly and citizens of North Carolina have legitimate 16 concerns about the long-term health consequences of ingesting food that has been manipulated 17 through genetic engineering; and 18 Whereas, the General Assembly and citizens of North Carolina have legitimate 19 concerns about the impact on human and animal health of genetically modified food and milk 20 and milk products from animals that have received recombinant bovine growth hormone 21 (rBGH); and 22 Whereas, these concerns give rise to a substantial governmental interest in requiring 23 the labeling of food and milk sold in this State that are or that contain genetically modified food 24 and of milk or milk products sold in this State from animals that have received recombinant 25 bovine growth hormone (rBGH); Now, therefore, 26 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 27 SECTION 1. G.S. 106-121 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 28 "(8b) The term 'genetically modified food' means food the genetic structure of 29 which has been modified by direct human manipulation in a manner that 30 does not occur under natural conditions, including through any of the 31 following genetic engineering methods: recombinant DNA and RNA 32 techniques, cell fusion, gene deletion or doubling, introduction of exogenous 33 genetic material, alteration of the position of a gene, or similar procedure. 34 General Assembly of North Carolina Session 2011 Page 2 House Bill 446-First Edition The term also includes food that is, or is from, the progeny or genetic line of 1 an animal or plant described in the preceding sentence." 2 SECTION 2. G.S. 106-130 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 3 "§ 106-130. Foods deemed misbranded. 4 A food shall be deemed to be misbranded: 5 ... 6 (16) If it is a genetically modified food, unless the food bears a conspicuous label 7 identifying it as a genetically modified food in a font at least as large as the 8 font of a label required by subdivision (9) of this section." 9 SECTION 3. G.S. 106-268(c) is amended by adding a new subdivision to read: 10 "(c) The term "misbranded" means: 11 ... 12 (4) If it contains milk from an animal that has been injected with, or otherwise 13 received, recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), unless it bears a 14 prominent label containing a statement that the product contains milk from 15 an animal that received recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH)." 16 SECTION 4. This act becomes effective October 1, 2011.   The Genetic Engineering Blog is produced by Thomas Wittman and EcoFarm, and supported by a generous donation from the Newman's Own Foundation.