Index
Vermont GMO Labeling Law (Act 120)
Summary
Vermont was the first U.S. state to pass a law requiring all food manufacturers to clearly label foods that were produced with genetic engineering (GMOs), though this was later preempted by federal law.
Rights & Rules
- 01.Food produced entirely or partially from genetic engineering was required to be labeled 'Produced with Genetic Engineering' or 'Partially Produced with Genetic Engineering.'
- 02.Foods containing GMOs could not be legally labeled or advertised as 'natural,' 'naturally made,' or 'naturally grown.'
- 03.While Vermont passed this law in 2014, the US Congress passed a federal GMO labeling law in 2016 that overrode (preempted) Vermont's specific, stricter rules, replacing them with a national standard (the 'Bioengineered' label).
Penalties
- 01.Under the original state law, manufacturers who failed to label GMO foods could face civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day, per product.
Verified Citations
Vermont Statutes Title 9, Chapter 82A (Preempted)
Source"Any food offered for retail sale in Vermont that is entirely or partially produced with genetic engineering shall be labeled... 'Produced with Genetic Engineering'..."