On May 23, the US Senate rejected an amendment proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that would have allowed states to require labels on food or beverages made with bioengineered ingredients.

The amendment, which was rejected during a debate on the farm bill, would have made clear that states have the authority to require the labeling of foods produced through bioengineering. It would also have required the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture to report to Congress within two years on the percentage of food and beverages in the US that contain bioengineered ingredients.

“An overwhelming majority of Americans favor GMO labeling but virtually all of the major biotech and food corporations in the country oppose it,” Sanders said. “Today’s vote is a step forward on an important issue that we are going to continue to work on. The people of Vermont and the people of America have a right to know what’s in the food that they eat.”