WASHINGTON — Legislation that would limit the ability of states to demand additional food warnings easily cleared the House Wednesday, marking a preliminary victory for food-makers and grocers.
The House voted 283-139 in favor of the Republican-backed National Uniformity for Food Act. The food industry backed the bill, arguing that it would improve efficiency and do away with needless regulatory obstacles.
The bill "would provide consumers with a single standard when it comes to food safety rather than the current patchwork of state laws establishing different regulatory requirements in different states," wrote John J. Motley III, a lobbyist for the Food Marketing Institute, in a letter to lawmakers. A coalition of food industry trade groups; major food companies, including Kraft Foods, lobbied for the bill.
The bill faced opposition from 39 state attorneys general, consumer advocacy and environmental groups, who charged it would undermine the often crucial role played by states in ensuring food safety.
"The House is trampling crucial health safeguards in every state without so much as a single public hearing," said Erik D. Olson, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, in a statement. "This just proves the old adage 'money talks.' The food industry spared no expense to assure its passage."
