ConAgra joins Campbell Soup, General Mills to comply with GMO labeling law
23 Mar 2016
ConAgra Foods Inc yesterday said it plans to use labels that disclose the presence of genetically modified organisms or GMOs in its food throughout the US.
ConAgra and other food companies such as Campbell Soup Co, General Mills Inc and Kellogg Co had decided to use such labels nationwide, finding it to be the easiest way to comply with a Vermont law.
In 2014, Vermont passed a law requiring US food companies to declare GMO ingredients, which is set to take effect in July.
According to ConAgra, which believed consumers needed to be informed as to what was in their food, addressing labeling requirements separately, just for the state of Vermont would be a costly affair.
"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. That's why we continue to urge Congress to pass a national solution as quickly as possible," the company said in a statement.
The US Senate, blocked a bill last week that would negate state and local efforts requiring food makers to label products made with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, as the industry pushed to stop the Vermont law from taking effect 1 July.
CongAgra, General Mills and Campbell Soup would not flag cereal, soup, candy, and other processed foods for GMO content in order to comply with the Vermont law.
Under the law, products that contained ingredients with genetically-modified content would be required to display a notice on their labels or on the store shelves where they were displayed.
''We firmly believe GM ingredients are safe,'' the company said in a statement on its website. ''Food developed through biotechnology has been studied extensively and judged safe by a broad range of regulatory agencies, scientists, health professionals, and other experts around the world.'' Mars reiterated that the new labels were meant to ensure that the products were in compliance with the Vermont law.