This week, US District Court Judge Christina Reiss of Vermont rejected the Grocery Manufacturers Association’s and other industry groups request for a preliminary injunction to stop a state law requiring the mandatory labeling of genetically modified food from going into effect as schedule in July of 2016.

Reiss partially granted and partially denied the state’s motion to dismiss the complaint filed by GMA which sought to halt the labeling law known as Act 120. Reiss denied preliminary injunction because she said the plaintiffs failed to show the law would cause them irreparable harm.

GMA filed the complaint in June of last year. Vermont became the first state to pass legislation requiring labels on food containing GMOs in May last year. Other states followed by drafting similar legislation.

 GMA responded to the ruling with a statement saying “while we are pleased that the District Court found us likely to succeed on several of our claims, we are nevertheless  disappointed by the court’s ultimate decision to deny our Motion for Preliminary Injunction to block the implementation of the Vermont GMO labeling law - Act 120 – on grounds that the manufacturers had not yet shown a sufficient degree of harm. We are reviewing this decision and considering our legal options.  Manufacturers are being harmed, and they are being harmed now. Act 120 is unconstitutional and imposes burdensome new speech requirements on food manufacturers and retailers. It will also set the nation on a path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling policies that will be costly and confusing for consumers.”