Labeling Regulations

North America & Canada: The labeling of foods being made with or without the use of genetically modified ingredients is being brought to the market by countries such as Canada and the U.S. According to the Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, in January 2001, the USDA released Guidance for Industry ' Voluntary Labeling indicating Whether Foods Have or Have Not Been Developed Using Bioengineering. This document was made to give assistance to manufacturers who choose to label, as well as providing examples of adequate and inadequate wording on the GM products. This document is not binding, but is primarily used as an aid. It does not look promising at this time for the labeling of GMOs to be required.

There are some people that skew their beliefs to such a point where they consider mandatory labeling to be a way of boycotting technology all together. The Food and Consumer Products Manufacturers Committee states that biotechnology enhances agriculture and agri-food production with the assumption that product safety is appropriately evaluated on each product. In conclusion labeling GM foods simply informs the consumer, and is not used as a warning of faulty product.  Appropriately, the Committee recommends:

"RECOMMENDATION 1

That the government continues to develop a standard for the voluntary labeling of food derived from biotechnology. That standard should use a narrow definition of GMOs, as proposed in the draft standard produced by the Canadian General Standards Board.

RECOMMENDATION 2

That the government intensifies research into the benefits and risks to human health and the environment of agricultural products derived from biotechnology, and bring forward a public information program.

RECOMMENDATION 3

That the government assess the additional costs, particularly for farmers and consumers, of implementing segregation and tracking systems, which are necessary for the labelling of GM foods, and report to the Committee and the House of Commons.

RECOMMENDATION 4

That the government assesses the trade implications of mandatory versus voluntary labelling of GM foods, and report the results of this assessment to the Committee and the House of Commons."

 

Sources:

http://www.agr.gc.ca

http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/tcaw/10/i05/html/05regs.html

http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoComDoc/37/1/AGRI/Studies/Reports/agrirp23/09-rap-e.htm#Labelling%20GM%20foods

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