A Collaborative Initiative Working to Ensure the Sustained Availability of Non-GMO Options

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Naomi Starkman
Consumers Union
nstarkman@gmail.com
917.539.3924-c

Position Will Create Problems for American Producers to Label Products GM/GE-Free Upcoming International Codex Meeting to Discuss Food Labeling, May 3

Yonkers, NY—Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, and more than 80 farmers, public health, environmental, and organic food organizations today sent a letter to Michael R. Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Food at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and to Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), expressing serious concerns that a proposed U.S. position on food labeling would create major problems for American producers who want to label their products as free of genetically modified (GM)/genetically engineered (GE) ingredients.  A copy of the letter can be found online: http://www.consumersunion.org/pdf/Codex-comm-ltr-0410.pdf

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a United Nations agency that develops food safety and labeling standards. Its standards carry weight because they are used to settle disputes at the World Trade Organization. The Codex Committee on Food Labeling (CCFL) meets in Quebec City, Canada May 3-7, 2010 to discuss the labeling issue.

The letter refers specifically to a position, drafted by USDA and FDA, that opposes a Codex document stating that countries can adopt different approaches to labeling of GE food, in line with existing Codex guidance. The current U.S. draft position goes even further to say that mandatory labeling of food as GE/GM “is likely to create the impression that the labeled food is in some way different” and would therefore be “false, misleading or deceptive.”

“We are concerned that the current U.S. position could potentially create significant problems for food producers in the U.S. who wish to indicate that their products contain no GE ingredients. Organic food in particular, which prohibits GE ingredients, are frequently labeled ‘GE-free’ or ‘No GMOs’.  A recent CU poll found that two-thirds of consumers would be concerned if they thought that GE/GM ingredients were in organic food,” said Dr. Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union.

The U.S. position paper states that Codex should not “suggest or imply that GM/GE foods are in any way different from other foods.”  However, Dr. Hansen stated, “Such foods clearly are different. USDA organic rules specifically state that GE seed cannot be used in organic production. The FDA has also taken the position that within the U.S., voluntary labeling as to whether or not a product contains GE ingredients is permissible.”

The letter to USDA and FDA is signed by the Organic Trade Association, the Organic Consumers Association, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the National Organic Coalition, and R-CALF USA, among many others. A full list of the signatories can be found online.

“We find it hard to understand how FDA and USDA can argue to Codex that mandatory labeling is inherently false and misleading, but voluntary labeling, which is permitted in the United States, is not,” the groups state. “We are, in fact, concerned that the current U.S. position appears to seek to establish precedents at Codex that would make it difficult to label food as non-GM within the U.S.”

The groups also urge the U.S. to not allow trade goals to interfere with or overrule judgments made on sound science and existing policy.

# # #

When we sit down to eat, how do we ensure that the food on our plates is safe to consume? A recent Washington Post special report by Carey Gillam does an excellent job of summarizing the current state of GMO regulation. Although both sides of the biotechnology debate have offered strong arguments about the safety of genetically modified foods – proponents hold that the technology is perfectly harmless, while critics remain leery of its potential impacts on human health – this article highlights the concerns of food producers, scientists, and consumers who worry that we don’t have an adequate understanding of how GM crops will affect our food supply or our bodies, especially over the long term. A closely related concern is the ability of the government to provide strong oversight of the biotech industry. The present regulatory framework, based on laws written before the advent of genetically modified crops, divides responsibility between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Yet Gillam notes that these three agencies have been criticized by the Government Accountability Office for their ineffective handling of the GMO issue. For anyone interested in the intersection of GMO foods and public policy, this piece provides a thorough, well-researched overview of recent developments, including new research on glyphosate (an ingredient in pesticides) and an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case concerning GM alfalfa.

Read the full article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/13/AR2010041301509.html

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Natalia Wolting
Endangered Species Chocolate
317.387.4372 Ext. 133
nwolting@chocolatebar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) organic product line has recently become the first line of chocolate bars to obtain “Non-GMO Project Verified” status. All of the organic products will feature the Non-GMO Project seal on their labels later this year, making it easy for consumers to recognize these items as independently verified non-GMO choices.

To reach Non-GMO Project compliance the ESC quality department went through a rigorous one-year process, which included a review of all the ingredients in their organic products to verify that they were in compliance with the Non-GMO Project’s standards of best practices for GMO avoidance, including testing of GMO risk ingredients.

GMOs have become a serious concern for consumers over the past few years due to their increased presence in foods. Although in places like the European Union all food with GMO content is required by law to be labeled, no similar requirement exists in the United States, making it hard for consumers who are wary of GMOs.  ESC believes in people’s right to an informed choice, and to choose non-GMO. Becoming Non-GMO Verified is part of an ongoing process to maintain the highest quality standards and offer transparency in production practices. ESC organic products currently have several other certifications including Gluten Free and Rainforest Alliance^TM, which was obtained earlier this year.

“We know how conscious our consumers have become of GMO’s in recent years,” says Wayne Zink, CEO of Endangered Species Chocolate. “We want to continue to raise the bar when it comes to providing consumers with healthy and safe products for them to enjoy and being Non-GMO Project Verified is an exciting achievement in this process.”

For more information and to purchase the organic non-GMO chocolate visit www.chocolatebar.com

###

An Organic Amicus brief has been filed in support of the Center for Food Safety’s case against Monsanto’s Supreme Court appeal of the lower court-ordered injunction against the selling of GM alfalfa. Monsanto seeks to overturn the lower court ruling that prohibits the company from selling its seed, due to the court’s concerns about the adverse effects of widespread GMO contamination.  The judge in that case has required USDA to “take a hard look” at the contamination issue before granting the deregulation of GM alfalfa.  This “hard look” is intended to be contained in the final environmental impact statement (EIS) that USDA released for public comment in December of 2009.  USDA is now in the process of reviewing and preparing its response to public comments as a basis for issuing  a final EIS and for deciding whether and/or under what conditions it will deregulation GM alfalfa.

Click here to read the Organic Amicus brief.

This past weekend, the number of fans on the Non-GMO Project’s Facebook page reached and then quickly exceeded 10,000 people, evidencing the growing public concern about GMOs and corresponding demand for all things non-GMO. The page features a mix of breaking news, links to studies, and updates on the brands and retailers involved in the Non-GMO Project.

Perhaps even more significant than the number of fans is how active the fanbase is, with an average of around 2,500 visits each week, and passionate strings of commentary quickly following every post. “Facebook is an amazing tool for us,” says Non-GMO Project Executive Director Megan Westgate. “It is so inspiring to see how many people there are out there who are standing up for their right to an informed choice about what they eat, and the Facebook format allows us to host some really important conversations about the GMO issue.”

A post Sunday evening asking users to share their reasons for being fans of the page quickly generated 89 comments. Julie Punty Olsen of Los Angeles expressed a sentiment common to other fans with health concerns when she said, “[The] Non-GMO Project has educated me on GMO and how it affects our food supply and our health. As a cancer survivor, I need to do everything I can to keep my body clean and free of unnatural substances; the Non-GMO Project is helping me do just that.”

Many users also cited the wellbeing of future generations as their motivation for being fans of the Non-GMO Project. Bob Shade of Nashville, Oregon said he was a fan “because I have grandchildren and would like to believe it’s possible for them to have a clean, organic, natural food supply for their grandchildren.” And user Shelley Boyle wrote, “I’m a fan because I depend on and value your help in finding out what is best for my body, my family, my neighbors, the farmers and ultimately, my world!”

The Non-GMO Project created its Facebook page about a year ago, and has its sights set on the 100,000 fan mark next. To learn more, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/nongmoproject

As the Non-GMO Project moves into a stage of active public outreach and education, we’re excited by the support of companies like Guayaki, who are doing everything they can to help spread awareness about GMOs and the Non-GMO Project, including on-label promotion with their best-selling “Pure Mind” bottled mate.

The label pictured above is just starting to appear in stores. We had our first spotting at Mother’s Market in Anaheim, CA last week and are excited to find out FROM YOU where else it is showing up!

HOW TO WIN A GOURD GIFT PACK
Keep an eye out for the Non-GMO Project logo and story on the “Pure Mind” bottle. When you see it, send us a picture of you and the bottle, along with the details on where and when you found it. Pictures and info should be sent to outreach-at-nongmoproject-dot-org (we spell it out that way to cut down on spam, but type it out like a normal email address). Also be sure to send us your name and address. The first three people to contact us will be sent a gourd gift pack featuring a hand-carved mate gourd, bombilla straw, and 6 ounces of mate (retail value $29.99), compliments of Guayaki.

As Guayaki Creative Director Steven Karr says of the promotion on the “Pure Mind” bottles, “the mate combined with Gingko and Tulsi makes people clear headed, so they’ll really understand the Project’s message about clean ‘clear’ food.” We hope so!

All of Guayaki’s products are “Non-GMO Project Verified.”

This October, natural foods retailers across North America will be celebrating the first ever “Non-GMO Month,” with the highlight being a Non-GMO Day on 10.10.10. The event, organized by independent retailers, co-ops, and other natural food grocers, will feature month-long promotions on Non-GMO Project Verified products and consumer education materials such as the Non-GMO Project Shopping Guide. The goal is to raise awareness about the GMO issue and to support the Non-GMO Project’s efforts to ensure the long term availability of non-GMO food and ingredients. On October 10th (10.10.10), many stores will have special educational and fundraising activities, including speakers, movie screenings and sales.

Plans are just beginning now; retailers and vendors who are interested in taking part are invited to contact us, and consumers are encouraged to keep an eye out for more news soon!

From March 10th until April 10th 2010, consumers, retailers, vendors, processors, farms, seed companies, and all other members of the public have the opportunity to submit comment on the Non-GMO Project Standard. Feedback and suggested revisions will be reviewed by the Project’s Standard Committee, who will release a reflective draft for a second round of comment later in the spring.

To download a copy of the Standard, please click here.

Comments can be submitted online (click here) or emailed to standard@nongmoproject.org

The Non-GMO Project Standard is opened to public comment biannually, every spring and fall, in order to keep it current, relevant, and consensus based. Please contact us if you have any questions.

A new press release from Monsanto on Friday revealed that their popular Bt cotton variety, Bollgard I, has proven unsuccessful in countering pest attacks in the state of Gujarat, India. The crop’s target, the pink bollworm, has developed a resistance to the Cry1Ac protein found in Bt cotton, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the crop’s claim to ward off pests. These Bt resistant pests were discovered in 2009 during a field monitoring in four regions in Gujarat and reported to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) by Monsanto. Not only have there been problems with the bollworm, but new, unreported pests have emerged that are unaffected by Bt cotton, causing significant economic loss and damage.

Though Monsanto argues that “resistance is natural and expected,” Bt cotton has failed to improve conditions, driving up the amount of pesticides used and reducing yields for Indian cotton farmers in 2009. The company also argues that the seeds themselves were not necessarily the cause of resistance, but rather “early use of unapproved Bt cotton seeds” and “limited refuge planting”.

Despite the apparent pest problems with this type of Bt cotton, Monsanto is still pushing their newest variety, Bollgard II, which contains the gene Cry2Ab in addition to the Cry1Ac found in Bollgard I.  K.R. Kranthi of the Central Institute for Cotton Research, however, has little faith in the success of Bt cotton, reporting that with 90% of the cotton  grown in India being Bollgard II and few preventative measures being taken by farmers, the pink bollworm will soon develop resistance even to this newest crop.

Monsanto also says they are currently working on a Bt cotton variety featuring three proteins instead of two.

To read the full article by India Today, please click here.

To read Monsanto’s release, please click here.

Closing panelists from the 2010 Canadian Organic Growers Conference in Toronto; from L to R: Michael Schmidt, Biodynamic Farmer and raw milk champion; Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project; Barbel Hohn, Germany's first Green Party Agriculture Minister; Wayne Roberts, PhD, author and Acting Manager of the Toronto Food Policy Council.

Following participation in the Guelph Organic Conference outside Toronto several weeks ago, Project Executive Director Megan Westgate returned to Toronto this past weekend to speak on two panels at the Canadian Organic Growers Conference. The event, titled “Your Food, Your Choice: Grounds for Change” drew 350 attendees from a dynamic backgrounds, including lots of consumers eager to make a positive impact on their food supply.

Toronto-based retailer The Big Carrot co-sponsored the conference and is also a founding member of the Non-GMO Project. As the Project has evolved over the last few years, The Big Carrot, a worker-owned cooperative, has helped the Project maintain a North America-wide focus, and the retailer was instrumental in bringing Westgate to Toronto for this conference.

Although the “Non-GMO Project Verified” seal will be slower to launch in Canada due to different labeling regulations, the Project is working with The Big Carrot and other retailers to promote verified products in-store, using tools like the Non-GMO Project Shopping Guide, which was distributed widely at last weekend’s event, and received enthusiastically by attendees.