Dive Brief:
- A group of natural food proponents, including food company managers and executives, congregated on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and discuss GMO labeling.
- In particular, the group voiced opposition to the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which would institute a voluntary labeling policy rather than mandatory, and shared ideas for labeling legislation.
- The group included Bobby Sullivan, general manager of the French Broad Food Co-Op; Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's; Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farm; Tom Spier, co-founder of Bare Naked Granola and Evol Foods, and lobbyist Hitesh Hajarnavis from Popcorn Indiana.
Dive Insight:
This group proposed that the nutrition label contain information about which ingredients are genetically modified rather than changes made to the front of packaging, which they hope will appease food companies and legislators who oppose mandatory labeling.
As more consumers say they are interested in GMO labeling, more food company representatives and legislators are convening to discuss labeling laws. Many natural and organic food proponents demand mandatory labeling laws, but many other food companies and legislators believe that voluntary labeling is the way to go to avoid the potential costs of having to update product labels.