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Perdue says USDA is not as close to releasing GMO labeling rules as he’d like

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says the USDA is not as close to publishing a final rule on biotech labeling as he’d like.

He says the delay is partly because of the review process by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.

“We have turned in our papers on time, the teacher didn’t grade them on time,” he says. “OMB has taken longer than the statuary limit- we had requested a expedition of that in order to get the public comments.”

The bill mandating GMO labeling on food and beverage products was signed into law in 2016 and gave the USDA two years to develop the rules.

Perdue says although the rule IS close to going out for public comment, it doesn’t look like they will be able to have a final rule published by the July deadline.

“We think it’s very close to going out for public comment,” he says. “We will get those back and then we have to respond issue a final rule.”

Perdue spoke to farm broadcasters in Washington DC this week.

Audio: Sonny Perdue, USDA Ag Secretary