An Act To Protect Maine Food Consumers' Right To Know about Genetically Engineered Food and Seed Stock
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0718
Committee Amendment CA_B_H394 (House)
Committee: Agriculture,

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "8,, to H.P. 490, L.D. 718, Bill, "An Act To 
Protect Maine Food Consumers' Right To Know about Genetically Engineered Food and 
Seed Stock" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry To 
Petition the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the United States 
Commissioner of Food and Drugs To Increase Consumer Confidence in Our 
Nation's Food System' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Petition. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation 
and Forestry shall petition the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the United 
States Commissioner of Food and Drugs to develop a nationwide system to more fully 
evaluate, monitor and provide for whatever labeling is considered necessary to reinforce 
consumer confidence in the safety of our nation's food system. The commissioner shall 
inform the secretary and the commissioner that, to date, the development of genetically 
engineered products has focused on improving agronomic traits for the farmer, such as 
pest and herbicide resistance and drought tolerance, and that a new generation of products 
will improve food attributes such as fat content and increase vitamin A content. The 
commissioner shall also inform the secretary and the commissioner that, as of this year, 
states including Maine have introduced legislation to require the labeling of 
genetically modified or engineered foods and that state-by-state initiatives of food 
labeling will have cost implications for the consumer. 
The commissioner shall also 
inform the secretary and the commissioner that, if concerns about safety, labeling or 
contamination are not resolved at the federal level or on the international level, these new, 
innovative and healthier products may never be commercialized; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Report. Resolved: That, upon receipt of a response from either or both 
the United States Secretary of Agriculture and the United States Commissioner of Food 
and Drugs, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry shall forward 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~o~s 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:B" to H.P. 490, L.D. 718 
that response or those responses to the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, 
Conservation and Forestry.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is one of 2 minority reports, changes the bill into a resolve. 
It directs the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to petition the 
United States Secretary of Agriculture and the United States Commissioner of Food and 
Drugs to develop a nationwide system to more fully evaluate, monitor and provide for 
necessary labeling to reinforce consumer confidence in the safety of the nation's food 
system. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: OS/29/13 
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LD718 
LR 52(04) 
An Act To Protect Maine Food Consumers' Right To Know about Genetically Engineered Food and 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Seed Stock 
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Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment :p> C 
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Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note . 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry associated with petitioning the federal 
government to develop a nation-wide system to more fully evaluate, monitor and provide for labeling to reinforce 
consumer confidence in the safety of food and reporting the response can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR0052(04) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1