Dive Brief:
- Organic food processing company SunOpta has received USDA approval for a new label to confirm that products do not contain genetically modified crop ingredients, such as corn, soy, and sugar beets.
- The USDA certification does not mean that the products are GMO-free, but that the corn and soy SunOpta will process at its plant in Hope, MN, will not be genetically modified.
- The nonprofit Non-GMO Project has issued non-GMO labels for some time, but such a large number of companies are moving to voluntarily label their products that the nonprofit is backlogged.
Dive Insight:
The Non-GMO Project is not concerned about this new label replacing its own. The green and blue label will read, "Non-G.M.O./G.E. process verified," according to the New York Times. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in an email to employees that this new label will be the first non-GMO/GE claim verified through USDA.