Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/165102
genetically modified organisms," the organization's website reads. Among its board members are owners and/or officers of various food organizations and businesses, including United Natural Foods, Inc., Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, Eden Foods, and Good Earth Natural & Organic Foods. To achieve a Non-GMO Project label, ongoing testing for GMO risk ingredients is required. As the website explains, the National Organic Program (NOP) identifies genetic modification as an excluded method, but GMOs are not a prohibited substance and no testing is required. "These rules were established at a time when GMOs were in limited production, and accidental contamination was not a significant risk. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case," the website says. For meat and liquid egg products subject to the Food Safety and Inspection Service oversight, the NonGMO Project Verified label has been reformatted to include an explanation of how animal products meet the standards of the project. "Meat and eggs cannot be tested themselves for GMOs - that's why we test the animal feed. The supplemental language will help clarify that," said Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project, in a recent press release. Source: Lynch D, Vogel D. The Regulation of Gmos in Europe and the United States: A Case-Study of Contemporary European Regulatory Politics. Council on Foreign Relations. 2001. The Non-GMO Project encourages companies, even those that already have a GMO program, to become part of the labeling project. It is important to attain industry-level transparency, members of the project argues; additionally, "to maintain a supply of non-GMO ingredients in the face of growing contamination risk takes coordinated, cooperative efforts," its website states. Abby's Magazine - September / October 2013 | Page 23