Terri Hallenbeck

The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont is expected to become the first state in the nation to require labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms.

On Wednesday, the state House passed a bill, 114-30, that would require the labeling by July 1, 2016. The next step is Gov. Peter Shumlin, who has said he will sign the legislation.

"Our constituents have spoken," said Rep. Carolyn Partridge, a Democrat from Windham, Vt., and House Agriculture Committee chairwoman. "They feel it's important to know what's in their food." said House Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Partridge, D-Windham.

Genetically modified organisms are plants and animals whose cells have been inserted with a gene from an unrelated species to give them specific characteristics, such as resistance to insects or increase specific nutrients. Genetically engineered plants have been in the food supply since the 1990s, and supporters of the labeling requirement have been fighting since for regulations to notify consumers of their presence.

Food manufacturers say 70% to 80% of packaged food on a typical supermarket's shelves would need to be labeled. The bill grants the Vermont Attorney General's Office the job of establishing rules surrounding the labels.

Supporters have said they hope Vermont will lead the way for similar laws across the USA.

"Vermont's always first," said Will Allen, an organic farmer from Fairlee, Vt., citing the state's ban on slavery, passage of civil unions and same-sex marriage as other firsts.

GMO labeling is required in 64 countries, including the European Union, but no U.S. states. Connecticut and Maine have passed labeling laws that would go into effect only when a collection of neighboring states passes similar laws. Vermont lawmakers rejected that route.

Legislation in Vermont seeking to halt the use of genetically modified seeds, to establish a labeling requirement for those seeds and the food they produce and to protect farmers from liability related to GMO seeds dates back more than a decade.

The state anticipates legal trouble. Included in the bill is establishment of a fund of up to $1.5 million to help pay for the state's defense against a lawsuit. People will be able to contribute voluntarily and any money the state attorney general wins in other court settlements can be added.

If the state loses a lawsuit, legal costs are estimated at $5 million to $8 million.

"I think this is the right thing to do whether we're being threatened with a lawsuit or not," said Rep. Mike Mrowicki, a Democrat from Putney, Vt.

Rep. Anne Donahue, a Republican from Northfield, Vt., said the threat of a lawsuit gave her pause but that her constituents seem to support that risk. She voted for the bill.

"I have extreme misgivings about going forward with something that has a high likelihood of costing the state money," she said.

"That's the concern for many of us," said GOP Rep. Kurt Wright of Burlington, Vt., who voted against the bill. "Some believe taxpayers are in favor of that. I'm not sure they all know about it."

About Vermont's GMO labeling bill

• What the bill does: Requires food manufacturers to label many products containing genetically modified organisms that are sold in Vermont starting July 1, 2016. Meat, dairy, liquor and prepared food sold in restaurants are exempt from labeling.

• What the label will say: The bill offers three options for wording: "partially produced with genetic engineering," "may be produced with genetic engineering," or "produced with genetic engineering."

• How long this bill has been in the works: House 112 was introduced in the Vermont House in January 2013 and passed the House on May 10, 99-42, just before the state Legislature adjourned for the year. The bill was introduced Jan. 7 in the Vermont Senate when the Legislature reconvened. The Senate Agriculture and Judiciary committees reworked the bill. The revised version passed the Senate on April 16, 28-2. The House concurred with the Senate's changes with Wednesday's 114-30 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Peter Shumlin to be signed into law sometime in the next week or so.