Vermont AG provides online complaint form to permit reporting of possible GM labeling violations. 

• As the food industry is well aware, Vermont’s labeling requirements for genetically modified (GM) foods took effect on July 1, 2016.  However, there is a limited 6-month “safe harbor” provision between July 1 and December 31, 2016 during which the Vermont Attorney General (AG) will not take action unless there is evidence that a manufacturer distributed a mislabeled product after the July 1 effective date.

• In the meantime, the AG’s office has developed and released an online complaint form for consumers to report possible labeling violations.  The online complaint portal indicates that complaints will be forwarded to manufacturers and/or retailers selling the food product(s) at issue.  At this early stage, it is not clear whether or how the AG or consumers can know which food products properly fall within the “safe harbor” exemption.

• Stakeholders continue to await the outcome of Congressional votes on the recently-brokered bipartisan GM labeling deal that would pre-empt Vermont’s law and establish a federal labeling standard in this area.