ConAgra, General Mills, Mars, and Kellogg's to Start Labeling GMOs
General Mills, Mars Inc., The Kellogg Co., and ConAgra Foods are among the food companies that have announced they will start labeling products that contain genetically modified ingredients to comply with a looming Vermont law.
In 2014, Vermont passed a mandatory genetically modified (GM) ingredient labeling law that requires most human food products containing GM ingredients to include on-pack labeling as of July 2016. The U.S. Senate voted 48-49 on March 16, 2016 against a bill that would have blocked such state laws and now Vermont will be the first state to require such labeling when the law goes into effect July 1. While the food industry calls for a national solution, the state of Vermont will dictate the wording of the labels for now because it isn't practical for the food giants to label products for just one state.
In a blog post Jeff Harmening, General Mills’ chief operating officer of U.S. retail, argued for a national standard for GMO labeling, but for now the company will start labeling products that contain GMOs across the country in order to keep from driving up costs for consumers.
"As the discussions continue in Washington, one thing is very clear: Vermont state law requires us to start labeling certain grocery store food packages that contain GMO ingredients or face significant fines," wrote Harmening.
“We can’t label our products for only one state without significantly driving up costs for our consumers and we simply will not do that,” he wrote.
The labels will start hitting grocery stores over the next several weeks and customers can expect thousands of packages to be updated with new language, General Mills spokesman Mike Siemienas told USA Today.
ConAgra Foods also will begin adding labels to products nationwide by July 2016 to meet Vermont’s GMO labeling requirements, but the company calls for a national solution, arguing in a statement that addressing state-by-state labeling requirements adds significant complications and costs for food companies.
"With a multitude of other states currently considering different GMO labeling requirements, the need for a national, uniform approach in this area is as critical as ever."
Mars, Inc. will also introduce clear, on-pack labeling on products that contain GM ingredients nationwide, saying in a statement "we not only ensure the safety of all raw materials in our products, we’re also committed to being transparent with our consumers so they can understand what’s in the products they love."
The Kellogg Co. put out a similar statement in which Kellogg North America President Paul Norman said that barring congressional action on the labeling issue, some of the company's labels would start carrying the words “Produced with Genetic Engineering” as soon as mid-April.
General Mills has also added a search tool on its website to provide GMO ingredient information for hundreds of U.S. products, along with reference information. In response to General Mills GMO labeling decision the Grocery Manufacturers Association called for action on a national law when the Senate returns from its recess in April.
"One small state’s law is setting labeling standards for consumers across the country," said the GMA. "GMA member companies such as General Mills are individually deciding how they will comply with the Vermont law, even as the company is working with other food manufacturers, retailers and agriculture groups to continue to push for passage of the federal bill that would protect consumers, farmers and small businesses from a costly patchwork of state labeling laws."
In 2014, Vermont passed a mandatory genetically modified (GM) ingredient labeling law that requires most human food products containing GM ingredients to include on-pack labeling as of July 2016. The U.S. Senate voted 48-49 on March 16, 2016 against a bill that would have blocked such state laws and now Vermont will be the first state to require such labeling when the law goes into effect July 1. While the food industry calls for a national solution, the state of Vermont will dictate the wording of the labels for now because it isn't practical for the food giants to label products for just one state.
In a blog post Jeff Harmening, General Mills’ chief operating officer of U.S. retail, argued for a national standard for GMO labeling, but for now the company will start labeling products that contain GMOs across the country in order to keep from driving up costs for consumers.
"As the discussions continue in Washington, one thing is very clear: Vermont state law requires us to start labeling certain grocery store food packages that contain GMO ingredients or face significant fines," wrote Harmening.
“We can’t label our products for only one state without significantly driving up costs for our consumers and we simply will not do that,” he wrote.
The labels will start hitting grocery stores over the next several weeks and customers can expect thousands of packages to be updated with new language, General Mills spokesman Mike Siemienas told USA Today.
ConAgra Foods also will begin adding labels to products nationwide by July 2016 to meet Vermont’s GMO labeling requirements, but the company calls for a national solution, arguing in a statement that addressing state-by-state labeling requirements adds significant complications and costs for food companies.
"With a multitude of other states currently considering different GMO labeling requirements, the need for a national, uniform approach in this area is as critical as ever."
Mars, Inc. will also introduce clear, on-pack labeling on products that contain GM ingredients nationwide, saying in a statement "we not only ensure the safety of all raw materials in our products, we’re also committed to being transparent with our consumers so they can understand what’s in the products they love."
The Kellogg Co. put out a similar statement in which Kellogg North America President Paul Norman said that barring congressional action on the labeling issue, some of the company's labels would start carrying the words “Produced with Genetic Engineering” as soon as mid-April.
General Mills has also added a search tool on its website to provide GMO ingredient information for hundreds of U.S. products, along with reference information. In response to General Mills GMO labeling decision the Grocery Manufacturers Association called for action on a national law when the Senate returns from its recess in April.
"One small state’s law is setting labeling standards for consumers across the country," said the GMA. "GMA member companies such as General Mills are individually deciding how they will comply with the Vermont law, even as the company is working with other food manufacturers, retailers and agriculture groups to continue to push for passage of the federal bill that would protect consumers, farmers and small businesses from a costly patchwork of state labeling laws."