This bill would also require manufacturers and producers of food to make available samples of their food to a division of the Department of Food and Agriculture to confirm the absence of genetically modified organisms. This bill would establish specified exemptions from the labeling requirements. A violation of these requirements would be a misdemeanor. Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state.
Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Right to Know Act 17590. Any manufacturer or producer who wishes to label products as being free of genetically modified organisms must first submit the proposed products to a certified laboratory for testing and provide evidence that the product or products contain no more than 0.1 percent genetically modified ingredients. A label stating that a product is certified organic shall in addition to any other requirement of law, mean that the product is free of genetically modified organisms as defined in this article. Any product containing 0.1 percent or more of identifiable, genetically modified organisms, as defined, shall be considered adulterated if not labeled as required by this article.