Biotech industry wants to deny consumers non-GMO label option

A recent press release from the American Farm Bureau states that “the biotechnology industry remains firmly opposed to the labeling of food products as ‘biotech-free’ or ‘genetically engineered-free.’” The group says that such labels wrongly plant the idea with consumers that genetically engineered food products are inferior or pose a health threat, Bill Olson, director of federal government affairs for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), told Farm Bureau members at an issues conference at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting.

BIO’s stand against allowing consumers the right to identify non-genetically modified foods may be a response to plans by the Non-GMO Project to start labeling food products later this year as “Non-GMO Project Verified.”

BIO frustrated by GE-free labels
“A non-GE label leads consumers to believe there is a difference between GE products and those produced by traditional methods. There is no difference,” Olson said. He claimed that all GE food products on the market have gone through a rigorous regulatory process that ensures they are safe for humans, animals and the environment.

Many scientists disagree, saying safety testing for GE foods is inadequate, and that the US Food and Drug Administration does not even require biotech companies to submit data assuring the safety of their GE food products.

The FDA requires that nutrition information appear on most foods, and any claims on food products must be truthful and not misleading. Special labels are not required for GE food products—unlike in the European Union, Japan, Korea, and many other countries. Labels identifying food as biotech- or GE-free are allowed, which frustrates BIO because the group believes such labels are misleading. However, many consumers want to know if a food contains GE ingredients and look for such labels.

Labeling debate will resurface
“The labeling debate last year focused on biotech and cloned animals – two distinct things,” Olson said. None of the bills introduced in Congress or state legislatures in 2008 became law, and while the new Congress and incoming administration have other priorities, Olson expects the issue to resurface.

Olson said the biotech industry is optimistic that as consumers more fully grasp the benefits of biotechnology, such as producing drought- and cold-tolerant crops and minimizing the environmental impact of farming, they will embrace the technology. That remains to be seen. Today, there are many opponents of the technology in the US and worldwide.

Olson also noted that studies have shown that while consumers may say they prefer food to be labeled according to whether it was produced with biotechnology or not, that does not translate into action at the retail level.

During his campaign, President Obama expressed support for GE food labeling, and Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack has also said he supports such labeling.