Saying No to GMO’s

What if tomatoes could utilize the genetic makeup of fish to make them more resistant to the cold? Such gene-splicing technology to create genetically modified organisms (GMO) already exists in food supplies: 91% of soy and 73% of corn grown in the U.S. were GMO in 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But a labeling and third-party verification system by the Non-GMO Project gives shoppers a new option: purchasing verified organic and natural products that don’t contain genetically engineered ingredients.

Since launching in fall 2008, the nonprofit Non-GMO Project has verified hundreds of products, from Annie’s Shells & White Cheddar to Earth Balance Natural Almond Butter to the Endangered Species Chocolate Butterfly Bar.

“‘GMO free’ and similar claims are not legally or scientifically defensible,” qualifies the project’s website.

Phased in during the end of 2009 and expanding this year, those products certified as “Non-GMO Project Verified” will feature a label with an orange butterfly perched atop two blades of grass in the form of a checkmark.

Participating companies undergo a rigorous inspection by project-approved evaluators and are subject to testing at all points during the processing of their products.

Megan Westgate, executive director of the project, said feedback has been “incredibly positive,” with more than 1,500 consumer pledges submitted and the support of nearly 4,000 fans on Facebook.

“People are so glad that someone is doing something to bring awareness to the GMO issue,” says Westgate.

CONTACT: Non-GMO Project