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A GMO-Free New Mexico? Land of Enchantment to Debate Labeling
The push for mandatory GMO labeling may have taken a sucker punch in California, but the debate over genetically modified foods is still simmering. New Mexico state senator Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) has filed an amendment to the state’s food act to require the labeling of genetically modified food ingredients. Working with the NGO, Food & Water Watch, Wirth drafted the amendment, SB 18, to require that foods sold in New Mexico be labeled if they contain more than one percent of genetically modified food ingredients.
So, will visitors to Santa Fe and the rest of New Mexico soon be reassured that their green chile-slathered meals and sopapillas will be over 99 percent GMO free?
The issue has resonated somewhat in the Land of Enchantment. Concern over the state’s beloved green chile, which has lost 75 percent of total harvested acres within the state over the past 20 years, has caused some controversy with some critics accusing research on this crop leading to “GMO chile.” Otherwise, the debate over GMOs is consistent with the rest of the United States--Wirth claims SB 18 is about transparency and providing consumers the tools to know what is in the food they purchase.
As with any legislation, the devil is in the details. Dig into the amended bill and you will find such jaw-dropping details as “A food shall be deemed to be misbranded . . . if it is a genetically modified food product that is not labeled as a genetically modified food product.”
Whether SB 18 can make any difference in the GMO debate is dubious. California was the real prize for GMO labeling advocates because a product compliant for the most populous U.S. state would then be able to be marketed throughout the rest of the U.S. What would be interesting, however, is that if the 36th most populous state passed this legislation, how would the big firms that opposed Proposition 37 in California react? In the end, Wirth’s bill is significant because it continues the debate over GMO labeling; passage of this amended bill in New Mexico’s legislature would require the signature of Governor Susana Martinez, a Republican and Tea Party favorite rumored to be part of the 2016 presidential mix. It is highly doubtful she would sign such legislation, but then again, the debate over GMOs is evolving and anything could happen. GMO labeling has a long road ahead in the U.S., but its supporters should be encouraged by what is occurring in Santa Fe and other U.S. state capitols.
Leon Kaye, based in Fresno, California, is a sustainability consultant and the editor of GreenGoPost.com. He also contributes to Guardian Sustainable Business; his work has also appeared on Inhabitat and Earth911. You can follow Leon and ask him questions on Twitter or Instagram (greengopost).
Image credit: New Mexico Tourism
Leon Kaye has written for 3p since 2010 and become executive editor in 2018. His previous work includes writing for the Guardian as well as other online and print publications. In addition, he's worked in sales executive roles within technology and financial research companies, as well as for a public relations firm, for which he consulted with one of the globe’s leading sustainability initiatives. Currently living in Central California, he’s traveled to 70-plus countries and has lived and worked in South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
Leon’s an alum of Fresno State, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Southern California's Marshall Business School. He enjoys traveling abroad as well as exploring California’s Central Coast and the Sierra Nevadas.
