In wake of Monsanto ruling, Kentucky may label some in-state products as non-GMO

In the wake of last week's Supreme Court ruling in favor of food giant Monsanto in its battle with an Indiana soybean farmer over the right to grow genetically modified organisms, we've heard plenty of opinions on what should or shouldn't be done about the issue. Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer is considering a label for non-GMO Kentucky products, Nick Storm reports for "Pure Politics," part of cn|2, a service of the Insight Communications cable-TV firm.

“If you look at the advances we’ve made in agriculture, it’s been because the higher yields the more drought resistant plants and stuff. Those plants have been genetically modified,” Comer told Storm. “Eighty-eight percent of the corn planted last year was genetically modified (and) 94 percent of the soybeans planted all over the United States were genetically modified."

Still, many people have mixed feelings about GMOs. Comer said, "There’s a great concern by a large segment of the population – and its only growing – that there’s issues with the GMO’s. We’re looking at doing a program within the department that would allow for labeling of non-GMO Kentucky Proud products. We want to be very proactive in this, but it’s a very complex issue.” Kentucky proud is the state's marketing program for in-state products. (Read more)

We wrote about the use of genetically modified foods, and whether or not they should be labeled, here. This chart showing the increase of genetically engineered crops in the U.S. is from Food Politics.