Vermont Senator David Zuckerman and Representative Carolyn Partridge spearheaded efforts for the state to pass the nation’s first unrestricted mandatory labeling bill for genetically modified organisms (GMO). The state legislature’s collective efforts, lasting more than a decade, led to an unprecedented, game-changing new law signed by Governor Peter Shumlin on April 23. Anticipating the current lawsuit by Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Vermont has set aside $10 million for legal fees. The Organic Manufacturers Association is working to expand funding behind Vermont’s defense because the outcome could affect all 50 states.

Unless legally overturned, starting July 1, 2016, products sold in Vermont that contain more than 0.9 percent GMO content contamination will require a statement on the label indicating that genetic engineering was used. Products that contain GMOs and are labeled cannot also label their products as “natural”. The bill, however, does not apply to labels for milk, eggs and meat from animals fed GMOs.

Donate to Vermont’s defense fund at Tinyurl.com/SupportGMOLabeling.