Witnesses urge Vermont panel to require baby‑food testing and public disclosure

At a House committee hearing on H536, witnesses representing Unleaded Kids and Consumer Reports urged lawmakers to require companies to test baby foods for lead, cadmium, mercury and inorganic arsenic and make results easily available to consumers.

Tom, national director of Unleaded Kids, told the committee the goal is to “do all we can to reduce the exposure from all sources,” and said state action complements, rather than replaces, FDA efforts. He described FDA’s January 2025 action levels (about 10 parts per billion for many baby foods) and cited FDA’s interim reference that food should contribute no more than 10% of the CDC blood‑lead reference (quoted in testimony as 0.35 micrograms per deciliter).

Brian Ronholm, who leads food policy at Consumer Reports, said independent testing of baby foods and powdered infant formulas has repeatedly found wide variation among brands and lots. “Of the 41 products that we tested, 21 could be rated as a top choice,” Ronholm said, adding that about half of the powdered infant‑formula samples his group tested contained “potentially harmful levels of at least one contaminant.” He and Tom said those results show manufacturers can and do produce lower‑contaminant products when held accountable.

Both witnesses recommended three changes to the Vermont draft: remove the exemption for infant formula, prohibit requirements that consumers enter a UPC, lot number or best‑by date to view results, and require that product marketing pages include direct links to testing data so online shoppers can access results without navigating QR‑code workarounds. Tom and Ronholm said California’s public‑posting model and other state laws have prompted many manufacturers to post results and test to lower levels (some companies are testing down to 1–2 parts per billion).

Committee members asked technical and practical questions. Witnesses said metals in baby foods most often come from ingredients grown in contaminated or mineral‑rich soils (for example carrots, sweet potatoes and some quinoa), not from packaging, and that contaminants can pass to a fetus and into breast milk. Tom estimated testing for the four elements costs roughly $110 per lot and said many small brands have absorbed that cost; he warned, however, that adding more, more expensive tests (for example inorganic‑only arsenic or PFAS) would raise costs.

Several members expressed concern about including formula, citing past supply disruptions after large recalls. Witnesses emphasized H536 is a test‑and‑disclose measure, not a ban or limit on sales, and said they do not expect it to create shortages. The committee scheduled follow‑up testimony from the state health department and laboratory director and asked staff to invite the Vermont Retail Grocers Association and formula/baby‑food manufacturers for future hearings.

The committee recessed with a timetable to continue consideration and invited the witnesses to provide example QR‑code pages and URLs for members to review.