Campbell Soup Company says it supports a mandatory national labelling standard in the U.S. for products containing genetically modified ingredients (GMOs).
The maker of Pepperidge Farm cookies, Prego sauces and Spaghetti-Os says it will withdraw its support from various efforts opposing such labelling, which has become a contested issue in recent years. The move marks a break from industry groups that have sought to make labelling voluntary.
About three-quarters of Campbell’s products contain GMOs. The company has opposed a patchwork of state-by-state legislation that it believes would confuse customers.
States have tried to address the issue on their own and Vermont passed legislation requiring food makers to disclose when certain products contain genetically modified ingredients by July. But industry groups want to pre-empt such efforts with federal legislation that would make disclosures voluntary, said Michele Simon, a public health lawyer.
“They’re going for as little as they can,” Simon said.
READ MORE: Vermont’s food fight over mandatory GMO labelling
If a federal labelling standard isn’t established in a “reasonable amount of time,” Campbell says it will work independently to disclose the presence of GMOs in its products. The company did not specify a timeline for doing so.
In a statement the company said, “Campbell is optimistic a federal solution can be established in a reasonable amount of time if all the interested stakeholders cooperate. However, if that is not the case, Campbell is prepared to label all of its U.S. products for the presence of ingredients that were derived from GMOs, not just those required by pending legislation in Vermont. The company would seek guidance from the FDA and approval by USDA.”
Genetically modified seeds are engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, like resistance to herbicides. The majority of the country’s corn and soybean crop is now genetically modified, with much of that going to animal feed. Corn and soybeans are also made into popular processed food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soybean oil.
The food industry says about 75 per cent to 80 per cent of foods contain genetically modified ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration has said that GMOs are safe.
Still, the number of products stamped with a voluntary “non-GMO” label from a third-party group has proliferated as the issue has gained attention. The label, which is displayed on the front of packages, has become a marketing tool in some cases, Simon noted.
READ MORE: GMO food and labelling: The cost question
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Campbell’s labelling for GMO ingredients likely wouldn’t be as prominent. An image provided by the company to illustrate compliance with the Vermont law showed the back of a Spaghetti-Os can with the words “Partially produced with genetic engineering” in small print at the bottom.
The company also called on the federal government to propose a national standard for non-GMO claims made on food packaging.
Campbell Soup CEO Denise Morrison has been outspoken about the need for big food makers to adapt to changing tastes. The company, based in Camden, N.J., has been diversifying its packaged food lineup with offerings that are seen as fresher.
Its acquisitions in recent years include premium juice and carrot seller Bolthouse Farms and Plum Organics, which makes baby food.
In a message posted online by Campbell Friday, Morrison stressed that the company is in “no way disputing the science of GMOs or their safety.” But she said GMOs have become a top issue among consumers.
“We have always believed that consumers have the right to know what’s in their food,” Morrison wrote.
Global News contacted Campbell’s Canada to ask if the company supports mandatory GMO labelling in Canada, or if it has plans to label its products in Canada. Campbell’s told Global News in an email,”at this stage the mandatory GMO labelling proposal is for Campbell products sold in the U.S. only. All products we sell in Canada will continue to comply with Canadian labelling regulations. We remain committed to transparency and will continue to share information about the ingredients we use, including those from GMO crops, on www.whatsinmyfood.ca.”
On its Canadian website the company lists ingredients that may include GMOs that it uses in some of its products.
With files from Global News and Allison Vuchnich
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