Why are some food companies willing to risk losing me as a consumer by refusing to label their GMO products? I will not buy food from companies that dont label.

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Friday, 30/10/2015 14:32

You might be surprised to know that the GMO Answers member companies are not against labeling in its entirety. The mandatory labeling of foods with GMO ingredients, as previously proposed in legislation, poses several key challenges to both seed and food companies. Please note that the companies who founded this site develop GMO and non-GMO seeds, which are sold to farmers, grown and harvested, and then sold to food companies, distributors, grocery stores, and other members of the food supply chain.  Although GMO Answers cannot comment on why certain food companies do not want to voluntarily label their GMO products, we will explore some of the broad challenges associated with GMO labeling for food companies, such as consistency with labeling policy and the feasibility to carry out labeling due to logistical issues.

In this response, former Council for Biotechnology Information executive director Cathy Enright discusses how we "absolutely do support the right of consumers to choose food that is healthy and nutritious." We do support companies' decisions to voluntary label food products with the presence or absence of GMOs as their customers’ desire. Two options for voluntary labels that indicate the absence of GMOs are the USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified labels.

When would we support a mandatory GMO label? Enright goes on to explain that we support labeling when any food -- GMO or not -- poses a safety risk to a certain population, such as those allergic to a food ingredient. For example: If someone is allergic to conventional or organic soy, they will also be allergic to the GM soybeans available on the market. This is in accordance with FDA policy, which regulates food labeling and requires food companies to label foods if they pose a specific health risk.

Are GMOs safe? Greg Conko, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses the safety of GE ingredients and GMO labeling in this response. Here is an excerpt:

“Countless scientific organizations agree that foods that contain GE ingredients are no less safe, no less nutritious and no less healthy than foods that do not. In fact, in some cases, GE ingredients have been shown to be safer, more nutritious or both, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require blanket labeling of all GE ingredients.

“The FDA’s policy requires specific labeling if, and only if, the composition of those foods differs significantly from that of their conventional counterparts. Material differences would include, among other things, the introduction of an allergen that is not present in the new variety’s conventional counterpart, a reduction or increase in nutrients or even a change in the product’s taste, smell, texture or expected storage or preparation characteristics.”

Why do we not support mandatory GMO labels? This is a complicated question, but the answer is certainly not to avoid disclosure of GMO ingredients. We believe that GM crops can provide numerous benefits to farmers and consumers, and are an important tool for farmers be able to access, along with tools used in conventional and organic production.

We think there are a few challenges with mandatory labeling currently proposed. Let's explore a few of those:

• First, labeling an ingredient as GMO or not, doesn't tell the consumer much about the product, other than how the crop was made. "GMO" doesn't describe a product; it describes a process. There are many different GM traits and vary from resistance to herbicides, diseases and insects to non-browning traits. 

• If we agree that labels should explain that traits of the GM crops used to make ingredients, that poses a logistical challenge for food producers. Jennie Schmidt, a registered dietitian and farmer in Maryland, explores the changes in grain storage alone that would need to happen in order to separate GM traits in corn from each other and non-GM traits in this post, "The Cost of GMO Labeling."

With this in mind, we do want fair and truthful food labeling. We support farmer choice, customer choice, and for companies to make the best choices about products for their businesses. 

The biotech companies who founded this website recognizes that we haven't done the best job communicating abut GMOs -- how they're used and why they're made. That's why GMO Answers was created. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to engage in this conversation with you, and we invite you to ask any additional questions you might have.

For more discussion on GMO labeling, see the responses below.

• You claim there is nothing wrong with GMOs. If this is true, why do you spend so much money to prevent labeling in the US?
  Answered by Naomi Stevens
• Why do you spend millions of dollars opposing GMO labeling? Aren't you proud of your products? 
  Answered by Cathleen Enright
• Why are there so many food companies against GMO labeling and willing to pay out millions and billions to block laws passing labeling? It cannot cost as much to just listen to the consumer and give them the information that they are demanding, I for one have stopped buying from these companies and will continue to vote with my dollars until I am heard!
  Answered by Kate Hall

Genetically Modified Foods Are as Safe as Conventional Ones
Article provided by Greg Conko

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Friday, 30/10/2015 14:32

You might be surprised to know that the GMO Answers member companies are not against labeling in its entirety. The mandatory labeling of foods with GMO ingredients, as previously proposed in legislation, poses several key challenges to both seed and food companies. Please note that the companies who founded this site develop GMO and non-GMO seeds, which are sold to farmers, grown and harvested, and then sold to food companies, distributors, grocery stores, and other members of the food supply chain.  Although GMO Answers cannot comment on why certain food companies do not want to voluntarily label their GMO products, we will explore some of the broad challenges associated with GMO labeling for food companies, such as consistency with labeling policy and the feasibility to carry out labeling due to logistical issues.

In this response, former Council for Biotechnology Information executive director Cathy Enright discusses how we "absolutely do support the right of consumers to choose food that is healthy and nutritious." We do support companies' decisions to voluntary label food products with the presence or absence of GMOs as their customers’ desire. Two options for voluntary labels that indicate the absence of GMOs are the USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified labels.

When would we support a mandatory GMO label? Enright goes on to explain that we support labeling when any food -- GMO or not -- poses a safety risk to a certain population, such as those allergic to a food ingredient. For example: If someone is allergic to conventional or organic soy, they will also be allergic to the GM soybeans available on the market. This is in accordance with FDA policy, which regulates food labeling and requires food companies to label foods if they pose a specific health risk.

Are GMOs safe? Greg Conko, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses the safety of GE ingredients and GMO labeling in this response. Here is an excerpt:

“Countless scientific organizations agree that foods that contain GE ingredients are no less safe, no less nutritious and no less healthy than foods that do not. In fact, in some cases, GE ingredients have been shown to be safer, more nutritious or both, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not require blanket labeling of all GE ingredients.

“The FDA’s policy requires specific labeling if, and only if, the composition of those foods differs significantly from that of their conventional counterparts. Material differences would include, among other things, the introduction of an allergen that is not present in the new variety’s conventional counterpart, a reduction or increase in nutrients or even a change in the product’s taste, smell, texture or expected storage or preparation characteristics.”

Why do we not support mandatory GMO labels? This is a complicated question, but the answer is certainly not to avoid disclosure of GMO ingredients. We believe that GM crops can provide numerous benefits to farmers and consumers, and are an important tool for farmers be able to access, along with tools used in conventional and organic production.

We think there are a few challenges with mandatory labeling currently proposed. Let's explore a few of those:

• First, labeling an ingredient as GMO or not, doesn't tell the consumer much about the product, other than how the crop was made. "GMO" doesn't describe a product; it describes a process. There are many different GM traits and vary from resistance to herbicides, diseases and insects to non-browning traits. 

• If we agree that labels should explain that traits of the GM crops used to make ingredients, that poses a logistical challenge for food producers. Jennie Schmidt, a registered dietitian and farmer in Maryland, explores the changes in grain storage alone that would need to happen in order to separate GM traits in corn from each other and non-GM traits in this post, "The Cost of GMO Labeling."

With this in mind, we do want fair and truthful food labeling. We support farmer choice, customer choice, and for companies to make the best choices about products for their businesses. 

The biotech companies who founded this website recognizes that we haven't done the best job communicating abut GMOs -- how they're used and why they're made. That's why GMO Answers was created. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to engage in this conversation with you, and we invite you to ask any additional questions you might have.

For more discussion on GMO labeling, see the responses below.

• You claim there is nothing wrong with GMOs. If this is true, why do you spend so much money to prevent labeling in the US?
  Answered by Naomi Stevens
• Why do you spend millions of dollars opposing GMO labeling? Aren't you proud of your products? 
  Answered by Cathleen Enright
• Why are there so many food companies against GMO labeling and willing to pay out millions and billions to block laws passing labeling? It cannot cost as much to just listen to the consumer and give them the information that they are demanding, I for one have stopped buying from these companies and will continue to vote with my dollars until I am heard!
  Answered by Kate Hall

Genetically Modified Foods Are as Safe as Conventional Ones
Article provided by Greg Conko