SENATOR DON HUMASON
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture recently passed out of committee H. 813, a GMO labeling bill. If signed into law, the bill would ensure that all foods sold in Massachusetts that contain genetically modified or engineered ingredients (GMOs) would be clearly labeled. Senator Donald Humason (R-Westfield) is a key supporter of the initiative.
Massachusetts joins a growing number of Northeast states working to label foods containing GMOs. Maine and Connecticut have already passed legislation. New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont are actively pursuing legislation.
“There is incredible momentum in the Northeast to label genetically engineered foods,” said Martin Dagoberto, Campaign Coordinator at MA Right to Know GMOs. “Senator Humason’s leadership is instrumental to the bill’s success. This is a significant step forward in the fight for a transparent food supply.”
According to a poll conducted by The New York Times, 93 percent of Americans support labeling foods containing genetically modified or engineered ingredients.
“The bottom line is that consumers overwhelmingly want to know what is in the food they eat,” said Deirdre Cummings, Consumer Program Director for MASSPIRG. “GMO labeling is a simple common sense way to allow consumers to make informed choices.”
“Farmers and consumers alike believe we have a right to know what is in our food,” said Jack Kittredge, Policy Director at Massachusetts chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association. “I hope the legislature will continue to keep moving this along until we join Connecticut and Maine with a strong labeling law to be signed by the Governor.”
“MoveOn members have been very concerned and active on GMO labeling here in Massachusetts and across the country,” said Pat Fiero, Lead Regional Organizer, N.E., MoveOn.org. “ We are pleased the legislature heard and listened to the thousands of requests from the public for GMO labeling.”
The bill must now pass the legislature’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing before the full House and Senate can vote on it.
“It’s a bill thats been filed for awhile. I first heard about it when I was in the House,” Humason said. “And I’ve gotten a lot of letters from constituents in Easthampton and Southampton regarding this issue and I gave more thought and said ‘you know what, I support this.'”
Humason added that his recent foray into fatherhood furthered his own vested interest in the bill.
“As the father of a young son, I want to know what he’s eating,” Humason said, stating that he doesn’t support the elimination of GMO-foods. “I don’t think they should be taken off shelves, but people have the right to know what is in their food.”
“Massachusetts is a big bio-tech state, so this is important for us,” he said. “I’ve heard that there are some food distributors who are opposed to it, but I haven’t gotten any letters from constituents against it, and I can’t think of a good reason (not to support it).”
