The Grocery Manufacturers Association has announced it plans to sue the state of Vermont over the law that Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, signed Thursday to require labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients sold in the state.

GMA said the law “is critically flawed and not in the best interests of consumers. It sets the nation on a costly and misguided path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling policies that will do nothing to advance the safety of consumers.”

The group noted that a range of federal and international agencies have declared foods made from genetic modified ingredients to be safe.

“Consumers who prefer to avoid GM ingredients have the option to choose from an array of products already in the marketplace labeled ‘certified organic,’ ” the group said.

“The government therefore has no compelling interest in warning consumers about foods containing GM ingredients, making this law’s legality suspect at best. In light of this fact, in the coming weeks GMA will file suit in federal court against the state of Vermont to overturn the law.”

Advocates of GMO labeling have said the issue is not food safety, but the consumer right to know.

The Vermont law includes a legal defense fund and the Center for Food Safety said that it would back up Vermont in any lawsuits.