Vermont’s attorney general recently issued an enforcement memo on the state’s GMO labeling law that takes effect July first. Vermont attorney general William Sorrell said last week that while the law takes effect in July, all products must be properly labeled by January 1st, 2017. The enforcement delay grants products on store shelves in July a “safe harbor” in regards to their shelf life. In a statement, the attorney general said “unless there is evidence that a manufacturer distributed a mislabeled product after July 1st, 2016, we will not bring an enforcement action or seek fines for those products.” Any products distributed before the law takes effect this July will not be pursued as a violation if the product remains on store shelves past the start of 2017. However, any labeled product distributed after July first would be subject to the fines. As the U.S. Senate continues its two-week Easter recess this week, the time and prospects of creating a national GMO labeling standard appear to be diminishing, making it more likely the Vermont law will take effect in July.