USDA releases new “bioengineered” sunny labels for GMO food, sans the word GMO

At the end of December 2018, the USDA announced their long-awaited rule on the labeling of foods containing GMO ingredients. Have you seen the new labels?

“Under the new ‘National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard,’ such items will feature the term ‘bioengineered’ or BE foods.”¹

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Beginning Jan. 1st,  2022, food companies will have the following four options to make this disclosure:¹

1. On-package text, e.g. “Bioengineered Food,” or “Contains a Bioengineered Food Ingredient.”
2. Electronic or digital disclosure—must include instructions to “Scan here for more food information” or similar language, and include a phone number
3. Text message disclosure
4. Or the USDA-approved symbol above

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However, critics of the new standard aren’t happy that companies can use QR codes, a website URL or 1-800 numbers rather than a clear, national labeling standard.

“‘This rule is filled with loopholes that will allow manufacturers to use digital codes and other technology that make GMO disclosure more difficult for consumers than simple on-package labels. Many people don’t have access to smartphones needed to scan QR codes, or access to a good signal while shopping,’ Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter said in an emailed statement.”¹

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said the new labeling standard increases the transparency of the nation’s food system and ensures clear information and labeling consistency for consumers but Gregory Jaffe of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), argued that the new labeling standard might just cause confusion in consumers unfamiliar with the term “bioengineered.”

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Jaffe also said, “Most studies have shown that consumers expect highly processed ingredients to be labeled and many food manufacturers want to provide that information. CSPI agrees with the decision to disclose highly processed ingredients as ‘derived from bioengineering’ but disagrees with USDA’s decision to not mandate that disclosure.” ¹

Remember, the vast majority of sugar beet, corn, and soybeans grown in the U.S. are GMO’s.

SOURCE:

1. Eco Watch