COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio farmers are being encouraged to contact U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman to urge them to support a national GMO food labeling standard.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is asking farmers to call immediately, ahead of expected action on a bill this week. The bill, sponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas, would establish a national, voluntary GMO labeling standard that would pre-empt state labeling requirements such as Vermont’s, which goes into effect July 1.

A national, science-based standard will protect consumers from misleading labels and higher food prices. It will “protect farmers and the food industry from the patchwork of state labeling laws being stitched together, which would stigmatize a valuable agricultural technology and have a chilling effect on future innovation,” according to American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall.

Farmers can call their senators at 1-866-464-6633 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Members of Ohio Farm Bureau can also send their senators a letter or email by visiting farmvotesmatter.org and clicking on Legislative Action Center.

In February, 11 Ohio farmers were among 750 Farm Bureau leaders from across the country who were on Capitol Hill to deliver the GMO labeling message. This week, Ohio Farm Bureau county presidents are advocating for the bill during their annual Washington, D.C. lobbying visit.