USDA develops first government label for GMO-free products

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Agriculture Department has developed the first government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients.

USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.

Certification would be voluntary — and companies would have to pay for it. If approved, the foods would be able to carry a "USDA Process Verified" label along with a claim that they are free of GMOs.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined the department's plan in a May 1 letter to employees, saying the certification was being done at the request of a "leading global company," which he did not identify. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Associated Press.

FULL story at link.



FILE - This May 10, 2013, file photo shows a genetically engineered potato poking through the soil of a planting pot inside J.R. Simplot's lab in southwestern Idaho. The Agriculture Department has developed the first government certification and labeling for foods that are free of genetically modified ingredients. USDA's move comes as some consumer groups push for mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. (AP Photo/John Miller, File)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150514/us--genetically_modified_foods-labeling-fa04376f7e.html

[Sanity Claws]

1. Done because of a global company

That sickens me. Whatever happened to the idea of doing something for the public?

[arikara]

11. That was my thought too

they developed it for one unidentified global company who requested it. To hell with the millions upon millions of people who let them know for years that they want gmo's labelled, or better still done away with altogether.

It sure illustrates who runs the government. Its all about big business and economics, absolutely nothing else matters at all.

[Archae]

2. "GMO free" = "Gluten free"

Yes, same sort of marketing gimmick.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Not the same in the case of GMOs.

Because in teh USA we live on a corn/wheat/soy based diet and something like 80% of those ingredients in the USA are GMO.
Which means that nearly everything in teh grocery store, including most poultry and beef, is GMO based.
Beef, poultry, farmed seafood ( salmon, catfish) are fed corn based food.

There are even GMO veggies like zucchini appearing.
And in sugar beets.

Worse yet, almost all the corn grown around the world now is from Monsanto, GMO, and of ONE variety.
The dangers of mono-culture have been known for decades.
There is no diversity to protect against disease in the corn.
right now banana growers are facing this problem, their one variety of banana grown commercially is experiencing serious disease, which threatens to wipe out large areas of banana culture.

I posted resources to finding non-GMO foods the other day.
Pretty educational links there.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026661344

[Major Nikon]

4. Not true

There are many varietals of GM corn and many varietals of non-GMO corn grown all over the world.

Also interestingly the dangers of mono-culture in which you speak is far more prevalent in non-GMO varieties. The European corn borer was devastating to US corn crops before GMO came along, and Bt varieties eliminated the problem. Meanwhile Italy bans growing GMO corn and corn borers rendered virtually their entire crop unfit for human or animal consumption. So what did they have to do? Import GMO corn from the US which they are forbidden to grow in Italy. You can't make shit up this funny.

http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2013/09/24/the-italian-job-farmers-facing-insect-infestation-pay-dearly-for-europes-anti-gm-stance/

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. You need to send that info to the show VICE

because they ran a show about GMO corn, and an interview with a Monsanto scientist who talked about the monoculture and how much their seed was used.

[Major Nikon]

10. Monoculture doesn't mean what you think

Monoculture refers to species, not varietals. With or without GMO you still have the same problem with monoculture.

[Android3.14]

5. "banana culture"

Two words I never thought to see together.

[bananas]

6. Thanks for those links. nt

[NYC_SKP]

7. Thank you for posting the links and the information. People aren't very smart about their foods.

And corn and it's lobby sucks, as does Monsanto.

[mother earth]

8. TY, dixiegrrrrl, great link/info & a big K & R for providing it here.