ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Sen. John Marty plans to introduce a bill Thursday requiring the labeling of genetically engineered food and seed sold in Minnesota.

The text of Roseville DFLer’s bill says it’s intended to give Minnesotans greater access to information for making informed consumer choices about what they eat, and let them avoid foods that have not been proven safe through long-term research.

Its first stop is the Senate Committee on Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development.

California voters last November defeated a ballot proposal to require the labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients. Biotechnology giants spent heavily to defeat the proposition.

The federal government does not require disclosure of genetically modified foods since they’re not considered significantly different in taste and nutrition compared with their non-engineered counterparts.

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