Three weeks ago, the U.S. Senate approved a nationwide standard for the labeling of food products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 306-117 to pass the bill, pushing mandatory GMO labeling one step closer to reality. The bill will now make its way to the desk of President Barack Obama, who--according to the White House--will most likely sign the bill as it is currently written.

The proposed legislation will require most packaged food products to be affixed with a clear text label, a universal symbol, or a code that can be scanned with a smartphone. The law would not take effect immediately, though. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be given a 2 year grace period to plan and write all the specific details.

This nationwide labeling standard would overrule the current GMO labeling law that Vermont has been requiring since July 1.

If signed into law, mandatory GMO labeling will be regarded as a win for consumers who want more information about the ingredients in foods they buy. 

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