WASHINGTON – Legislation dubbed the Deny Americans the Right to Know, or DARK, Act passed the House of Representatives today, but the fight for a more transparent food industry is only just beginning, EWG’s Scott Faber said following the vote.

EWG and other advocates of labeling genetically engineered foods, or GMOs, opposed the bill because it would strip states of the right to require labeling and effectively prevent the Food and Drug Administration from mandating a nationwide GMO labeling system.

“It’s outrageous that some House lawmakers voted to ignore the wishes of nine out of 10 Americans,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs for EWG. “Today’s vote to deny Americans the right to know what’s in their food and how it’s grown was a foregone conclusion. This House was bought and paid for by corporate interests, so it’s no surprise that it passed a bill to block states and the FDA from giving consumers basic information about their food.”

More than 300 organizations, companies and food industry and social justice leaders oppose the DARK Act in the face of massive spending and lobbying by big chemical and food companies. Poll after poll has shown that a large majority of residents of key states and across the country support mandatory GMO labeling.

“We’re confident the Senate will defeat the DARK Act,” added Faber. “We continue to hope that thoughtful food companies that listen to their customers will work with consumer groups to craft a non-judgmental GMO disclosure to put on the back of food packaging. Americans should have the same right as citizens of 64 other countries to know what’s in their food and how it’s grown.”