WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on Wednesday opposing legislation that prohibits states from mandating labels on foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and exempts many foods from being labeled as genetically modified: 

“This bill is not a good deal for consumers in Connecticut,” said Murphy. “It allows companies to hide food information behind confusing labels that can’t be accessed without a smartphone. And it could end up exempting lots of common foods from labeling requirements and limit penalties companies face for mislabeling. As a parent to two growing boys, I want to know what’s in the food I put on my kids’ plate each night. I will continue fighting until families in Connecticut get clear information about what is in their food.”

Murphy is an original cosponsor of the Biotechnology Food Labeling Uniformity Act, a bill that provides a common-sense approach to GMO labeling while ensuring consumers that the food they purchase will have clear and accessible GMO labels. Earlier this year, Murphy applauded Campbell Soup, the parent company of Connecticut’s Pepperidge Farm, after the company announced its support for mandatory national labeling of food products containing genetically modified ingredients.