Could the Future of Food Labeling be Changing?
Four AAEA members present research in GMO at the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting
In early June 2019, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, proposed a new regulation to reduce regulatory burden on innovations in biotechnology that are not likely to have an impact on pests. Without regulations, certain innovations in bioengineering will not be on a list of bioengineered plants which means they would not be labeled.
In the Track Session “The Economics of Genetically Modified Foods” happening at the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting, sponsored by the Food & Agricultural Marketing Policy Section, and the Food Safety and Nutrition Section, AAEA economists will discuss the impact of mandatory genetically modified organism labels.
Organizer of the session, Trent Smith from University of Otago (New Zealand) says, “The economic implications of regulation, in the form of a mandatory GM food label, are enormous. If consumers gain the ability to easily distinguish GM from non-GM products in the retail marketplace, a number of outcomes are possible. While it might be that consumers prove to be largely indifferent to the presence of GM, it is likely that--at minimum--non-GM products would command a price premium that is largely unavailable to non-GM producers at present.”
The session will be on Monday, July 22, from 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm. If you are interested in attending the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA or simply set up an interview with the organizer, please contact Allison Scheetz in the AAEA Business Office. You can also learn more on our Annual Meeting Media Kit page.
About 1,400 participants are expected to attend the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting, which will take place on July 21-23 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA.
ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices and the online open access publication series Applied Economics Teaching Resources. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.
Contact: Allison Scheetz
Senior Communications Manager
(414) 918-3190
Email: ascheetz@aaea.org