PORTLAND, Maine - A group of Maine legislators is calling on the U.S. Senate to allow states to craft laws that put labels on food products that include genetically modified organisms.
The Senate Agriculture Committee voted two weeks ago to prevent the package labeling of foods that include GMOs. The full Senate is expected to vote on the proposal soon.
The law would prevent a Vermont labeling law from going into effect on July 1. It would also block Maine's law, which requires labeling if enough other states sign on to the idea.
The Maine legislators asking the Senate to allow labels include House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat. Their letter says the Senate should respect the states' rights and not keep consumers "in the dark.''
The 30 Maine legislators are mostly Democrats.