The Senate on Thursday rejected an amendment to the Senate’s major farm bill that would allow states to require labels on genetically engineered foods.

The amendment, proposed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), sought to clarify that states had the right to label genetically engineered foods.

The measure was rejected by a 71-27 vote.

Sanders explained Wednesday that the amendment would protect states that labelled the foods from lawsuits from agricultural giants like Monsanto.

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“An overwhelming majority of Americans favor GMO labeling but virtually all of the major biotech and food corporations in the country oppose it,” Sanders said Thursday in a statement. “Today’s vote is a step forward on an important issue that we are going to continue to work on. The people of Vermont and the people of America have a right to know what’s in the food that they eat.”