Obama signs GMO labeling bill into law

President Barack Obama has signed into law bill S. 764, which creates a federal standard for labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms. The bill was signed Friday, July 29, according to a statement by the White House Press Secretary.

The bill “directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a national mandatory bioengineered food disclosure standard,” according to the statement.

The bill had been approved in the Senate by a 63-30 vote and in the House of Representatives by a 306-117 vote.

Here’s more from ABC News:

“This measure will provide new opportunities for consumers to have access to information about their food,” Katie Hill, a White House spokeswoman, told ABC News.

Two weeks ago, Congress passed the legislation which would require food packages to display an electronic code, text label, or some sort of symbol signifying whether or not they contain GMOs, according to The Associated Press.

The exact details will need to be worked out by the Department of Agriculture, which will have up to two years to write the rules.