Vermont Seeks Documents on GMOs from Seed, Food Companies

By Jacob Bunge 

Vermont's attorney general has asked a federal court to force big seed and food companies to turn over internal research on genetically modified crops, escalating a legal battle as the state defends its controversial law requiring labels for GMO ingredients.

State Attorney General William Sorrell filed motions this week in several U.S. district courts seeking to compel Monsanto Co., DuPont Co., Syngenta AG and other seed firms to produce studies or research related to "potential health or environmental impacts" of the crops, as well as pesticides used on them.

Mr. Sorrell also sought from ConAgra Foods Inc. and Kellogg Co. "consumer survey research" conducted over the past decade on GMO foods and on the use of "natural" labels on such products.

Vermont passed a law in 2014 requiring labels for some food products that are made from biotech crops. Seed companies alter the DNA of crops like corn, soybeans and canola oil to make the plants resistant to herbicides and destructive insects, which some consumer and environmental groups claim can harm biodiversity and speed weeds' resistance to chemical sprays.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 15, 2016 16:45 ET (20:45 GMT)

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