It seems like we can’t go a week without genetically modified foods making an appearance in the news. The battle over to label or to not label continues and consumers, companies and states are each being asked to pick a side.
In case you haven’t been paying attention but didn’t want to admit it: genetically modified foods, GM foods or GMOs refer to food, most often crops, that were created through a process of genetic engineering where by the genes of one organism are transformed to another to create such food crops as corn that are herbicide-tolerant and insect resistance.
According to a HuffPost/YouGov poll, 82% of Americans think GMO food should be labeled. And according to an ABC News poll 93% of Americans believe the federal government should require labels stating whether the food had been genetically modified. Companies and states, however, are responding to the rare show of public unity in very different ways. Here’s your up-to-date (at least for the next few hours) round-up of where some of the key players stand:
On the state level
- On June 3, Connecticut passed the nation’s first GMO labeling law. While the law requires foods containing GMOs to be labeled, don’t get too excited or start to panic (depending on your stance) just yet, there are still some conditions that must be met before the law goes in to effect.
- On June 12, Maine became the second state to pass a GMO labeling law also with conditions.
- Twenty-four other states plus the District of Columbia currently have legislation pending that would in some way require GMO labeling.
On the company level
- Whole Foods: By 2018, the company will require all products sold in its U.S. and Canadian stores to indicate via a label whether they contain GMOs.
- Ben & Jerry’s: By 2014, the company will have removed all GMO ingredients from its products.
- Chipotle Mexican Grill: Items containing GMOs have a red ‘G’ label next to them on the online menu.
- Organic Valley: The company says it has never nor will it ever knowingly or willing use GMOs in its products.
- Annie’s: The company says it uses only non GMO ingredients and supports the labeling of GMOs.
- General Mills: Taking a different approach, General Mills has stated it believes ingredients with GMOs are safe and provide environmental benefits. The company has no plans to label food containing GMOS.
- For more information on GMOs visit the Non-GMO Shopping Guide for a resource on what foods have and don’t have GMOS. And for a pro-GMO stance visit the Alliance for Better Foods.
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