Sworn Statement Exemption for Member Use
On December 17, JPA hosted a webinar that examined Vermont's GMO Law which becomes effective July 2016. JPA Legal Counsel, Hogan Lovells US LLP, explained that a sworn statement, signed by a company's supplier, can serve as an exemption from the law. The sworn statement certifies that food:

• was made or grown from food/seed that has not been knowingly or intentionally produced with genetic engineering (GE).
• was segregated from and has not been knowingly or intentionally commingled with food/seed that may have been produced with GE

For member companies that are interested in preparing a sworn statement to meet this exemption, an example sworn statement is included in Appendix A, on page 16 of the Vermont Law's guidance. Hogan Lovells has advised that the example sworn statement is appropriate for members to use and contains all of the statements required by the Vermont Attorney General's office. Legal counsel predicts that the bigger challenge will be getting suppliers to agree to sign this statement.