Agribusiness Update for Friday 10/09/15

Attorneys for the Grocery Manufacturers Association tried to persuade a panel of federal judges to place an injunction on Vermont's GMO labeling law at a hearing yesterday. And there is a lot at stake. Food makers are already looking at how to revise their packaging and distribution networks to comply with the law. More than 100 food and agriculture industry representatives took to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to convince lawmakers to sign on to Sen. John Hoeven's forthcoming bill to preempt state GMO labeling efforts. Republican's seem to support the measure while the Democrat's have been more hesitant.

Democratic House members, still upset over the House passage of Rep. David Valadao's California drought bill in July, are letting Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski know they aren't pleased she is now considering the legislation.

Twenty-seven House Democrats signed a letter criticizing the fact that the committee is holding a hearing today that considers the Valadao bill, which they say does nothing to alleviate the drought and repeals protections for endangered fish.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network of the West.