As consumer knowledge and demand grows—and for higher intentions as well—natural product retailers and manufacturers want to offer non-genetically modified products. But obstacles remain.
According to the non-profit Non-GMO Project, the most recent news in the pursuit for access to information on genetically modified foods in the United States has been the increase in consumer awareness of the risks that GMOs (genetically modified organisms) pose and the importance of buying Non-GMO Project Verified products.
“In just the past several weeks, we have seen key industry trend watchers note the importance of non-GMO products in driving growth in the organic and natural sector in 2012,” said Courtney Pineau, communications manager for the Non-GMO Project. For example, the Hartman Group stated: “Expect consumers to increasingly add non-GMO to their criteria for fresh and less processed in the long term.” SPINS reported: “Consumers are more aware of which food products most often contain GMOs, and the movement to label those products as such, whether voluntarily or mandated by the FDA with an official seal, is picking up momentum.”
In addition, polls consistently show that a significant majority of North Americans would like to be able to tell if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs—a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87 percent of consumers wanted GMOs labeled, noted Pineau. She added that according to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, 53 percent of consumers said they would not buy food that has been genetically modified.
“The Non-GMO Project’s seal for verified products provides consumers an opportunity to make an informed choice when it comes to GMOs,” Pineau said. “Unfortunately, even though polls show that Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public.”
A Retailer Start
It was the initiatives of independent natural product retailers who wanted to provide their customers with more informa- Tion regarding GMO risks that began the Non-GMO Project in the early 2000s.
However, Rainbow Foods in Juneau, AK, a Non-GMO Project “supporting retailer,” has been involved in the non- GMO issue for more than 15 years, according to Owner David Ottoson.“We believe genetically modified foods are inimical to any reasonable concept of what a natural food is,” he said. “We find it profoundly disturbing that foods have been created from genetic combinations made in the laboratory that could never happen in nature, including the mixing of genes from different species and even different kingdoms. We believe at a minimum the consumer has a right to know when they are consuming these foods and/or products that contain them.”
Debra Stark, founder and owner of Debra’s Natural Gourmet in Concord, MA, an “endorser” to the Non-GMO Project’s cause, discussed the subject in an even more straightforward manner: “It’s an issue that scares the living daylights out of all of us—those of us who work in the store, and our customers who know about GMOs,” she said. “Since the store is a community of people who care deeply about the world and the health and well-being of the people on it, it’s a perfect place to bang the drum, albeit slowly!”
While Stark said she’s heard nothing new from the FDA mandating that any seeds, foods, etc., containing GMOs have to be labeled as such, “Instead more genetically-grown foods have been okayed by the FDA,” she noted. One example is the approval of GMO alfalfa.
The growing success of the verification program by the Non-GMO Project is optimistic, Ottoson noted. “In packaged groceries, we are seeing increasing numbers of products carrying the Non-GMO Project’s label.”
Ottoson offered there are some supplement companies that are ahead of the curve on the non-GMO issue. “One Thing I’ve noticed is that a number of products containing soy stating they are made with non-GMO soybeans. I’ve seen this in protein powders and with lecithin. I saw in a recent catalogue that NOW Foods stated [its] commitment to using only organic and/or non-GMO ingredients whenever possible. Last year, Doctor’s Best introduced a vitamin C made with ascorbic acid sourced from Scotland that is made from non-GMO corn.”
Manufacturer Goals
Creating products with integrity and genetic honesty is the goal for going non-GMO, and natural food companies as well as supplement manufacturers are making efforts to support the cause to help ensure the highest quality products for customers.
• The GMO issue has been a priority since 2008 for Texas-based supplement maker Natural Vitality. “The whole focus of the natural products industry is to get away from the highly processed industrial diet we’ve been consuming,” said Ken Whitman, company president. “Health is about harmonizing with Nature and getting away from manmade toxins. GMOs are the biotech industry’s ‘Titanic’—it’s the latest laboratory hubris of man over nature. But it’s really about patents and profits over health and sustainability.”
The company covers the topic regularly and editorializes on the issue in its e-Magazine Organic Connections. Whitman said Natural Vitality also takes part in the “Just Label It!” campaign and that he recently spoke at the Right2Know – Rally for Real Food event in Austin.
• Quality Assurance Manager for California-based Nordic Naturals Cameron Young noted that one of the core values of the Non-GMO Project is to create sources and practices that effectively minimize genetically modified organisms contaminating the food supply chain. “Nordic Naturals embraces this ideal,” Young said. “Since our inception, we have been committed to using non-GMO ingredi Ingredients. The company is enrolled in the Product Verification Program, and is in the process of being verified. The certification will complement our existing quality controls and will further our commitment to delivering the world’s safest, most effective omega oils.”
• Peter Zambetti, director of global business development with Capsugel, a supplier to supplement manufacturers, is a board member of NPA (Natural Products Association) and chairman of IADSA (International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations).“There’s been a flurry of activity within the NPA, which represents more than 10,000 retailers,” he said. “The NPA members want to see all supplements they sell to be non-GMO. The reality is that it is getting harder to find non- GMO ingredients.” Capsugel purchases hundreds of raw materials for its Licaps® liquid-filled capsule business, he said. “We are regularly asked by our customers to use non-GMO ingredients, which we do whenever possible.”
• Choosing only certified organic ingredients for her company’s products, Mary Waldner, chairman and founder of Mary’s Gone Crackers in California, said it means the food is never made with genetically modified organisms/ingredients. “However, as more GMO foods are grown, the chances of them contaminating our food supply continue to increase. It’s a dangerous and frightening proposition, so I take close care to ensure Mary’s Gone Crackers supports the proliferation of non-GMO ingredients and helps curb the misguided path many food manufacturers are on.”
• Craig Shiesley, general manager of Silk, a Colorado-based food manufacturer, said the GMO issue is one that the company has been paying close attention to since its inception.“Throughout Silk’s 15 year history, we’ve always taken extensive steps to ensure our soybeans are non-GMO, including following a comprehensive set of testing protocols to detect GMOs. As a pioneer in creating sustainably produced, non-GMO plant-based beverages, the non-GMO issue continues to be one we care passionately about.”
• Marci Clow, MS, RD, senior director of product research with Californiabased Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems, said the company has been working diligently with Non-GMO project for the last three years, and has the utmost respect for the detail that they require for getting a product verified. Enrolled and verified.”
“Supplement and ingredient manufacturers are doing the same things we are—asking questions, asking for proof of claims, looking for ingredients that have been verified Non-GMO,” said Stark. “We’re all in this together, trying to educate ourselves about the issues and helping raise awareness, then taking action.”
Non-GMO Resolve
However lofty their intentions, issues of supply, costs, certification, regulations and consumer awareness are some of the obstacles faced by manufacturers and suppliers who are dedicated to bringing non-GMO products to market.
“It is encouraging to see some of the supplement companies becoming more aware of this issue,” Ottoson said. “I realize that they have greater challenges in sourcing non-GMO ingredients and change isn’t going to happen overnight. Still, the effort is appreciated and, in our store, we will do what we can to support those companies that out front on this issue.”
Jeffrey Brent Brams, Esq., general counsel and vice president of science International with supplement manufacturer Garden of Life in Florida, said answers are found in careful and thoughtful sourcing of raw materials. “To be a ‘good citizen’ of this planet, we are committed to utilizing only non- GMO certified ingredients throughout our full product line,” he said. “Often, that means incorporating more expensive materials and materials with more limited seasonal availability. We can’t cut corners in this regard, not if we’re going to work to preserve a viable future for our agricultural systems.”
Validating the GMO status of a complex Complex dietary supplement, such as a multivitamin that contains upwards of 40 or more individual ingredients, is extraordinarily complicated, Brams pointed out. “The Non-GMO Project is working as hard and fast as [it] can, but reviewing each formula is time consuming.Certifications are being issued on an almost daily basis and all participants involved at the Non-GMO Project remain entirely supportive and committed to the project,” he said. “As you can Imagine, this is a labor of love and passion, more than it is an economic enterprise. And in today’s competitive environment, only companies with true resolve, like Garden of Life and the Non-GMO Project, can afford the time and dedication to stay the course and complete such time consuming certification work when the certification is entirely voluntary.”
Silk’s Shiesley agreed that he’s also seen an increasing number of industry members turning to the Non-GMO Project to enroll their products in the Project’s verification program, and many products gained certification in the past year. He pointed out, however, that while customer awareness and understanding is growing, it hasn’t reached a tipping point yet. “This isn’t a setback But a real opportunity to educate consumers through various means.”
Continued Work
To help spread the word via retail, Rainbow Food’s grocery section tags all the products that have the Non-GMO verified label. “It is a small way to keep people aware of the issue. When we got the vitamin C product made from non-GMO corn, I made a point to put a sign under it on the shelf with my personal Recommendation,” said Ottoson.
The store also participates in the Non-GMO Project’s Non-GMO month in October, and contributes a percentage of sales from one day during the month to the Project. In addition, Ottoson shared that he wrote an op-ed piece for the local newspaper on GMO foods in October 2011, and gave a talk on non- GMO foods at a local health club during Non-GMO month.
Stark said Debra’s Natural Gourmet sent a copy of a petition about GMOs it had at its register to senators, representatives, President Obama, the FDA, USDA and the town manager. She also noted, “We sit on town committees regarding food, agriculture and environment.”
Rainbow Foods will continue to make non-GMO a focus in the store by giving a higher shelf profile to non-GMO products by putting more of them at eye level, Ottoson said. “As a store, we want the non-GMO message to be part of our identity. We will continue to participate in Non-GMO month in October.”
Debra’s Natural Gourmet plans to sponsor the showing of the film “The Future of Food,” “this time in a town auditorium,” Stark said. “We’ll hold a few more non-GMO dinners/conversation groups. We continue to hang a list of all the companies whose food we buy who have been verified Non-GMO so our customers can see.
“You’d think that GMOs would be on the agenda, on the radar, but unless we raise the subject, they’re not, concluded Stark. So there’s a mission for us!”
Visit vitaminretailer.com to read about a new consumer video from the Just Label It campaign
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The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. Here, Vitamin Retailer interviewed Courtney Pineau, communications manager of the Non-GMO Project, for the latest information from the organization.
What is the Non-GMO Project?
Pineau: The Project began as an initiative of independent natural foods retailers who were interested in providing their customers with more information regarding the GMO risk of their products. As the Project evolved, it became clear that in order for the initial vision of standardized labeling to be possible, a third-party verification program was needed to identify products compliant with a uniform, consensus-based definition of non-GMO.
Today, the Non-GMO Project offers North America’s only third-party verification and labeling for non-GMO food and products. We also work to educate consumers and the food industry to help build awareness about GMOs, and their impact on our health and food systems.
What strides have been made within the past year for non-GMO?
Pineau: In 2011, there was a huge amount of awareness raising about the issues concerning GMOs:
• The Non-GMO Project kicked off its second Non-GMO Month with over 1,000 retailers involved.
• The Non-GMO Project reached a billion dollars in sales of Non-GMO Project Verified Products.
• Just Label It launched a national campaign to advocate for the labeling of genetically modified foods. The outreach campaign supports an official petition calling on the FDA to label GMOs. They have joined with over 300 organizations (including the Non-GMO Project) representing millions of Americans to ask for the right to make informed choices about what they eat.
• The Right2Know March, a march demanding labeling of GMOs, began on October 1, 2011 in New York and culminated with a rally at the White House. The march provided an awesome opportunity to bring national visibility to the importance of our right to know what is in our food. It also provided us the opportunity to reach people who would otherwise never hear about these issues.
• A ballot initiative campaign was launched on the West Coast to put a GMO labeling initiative on the 2012 California ballot. If passed, this initiative would mandate labeling of foods that contain GMO (http://carighttoknow.org/).
Have there been setbacks?
Pineau: There has been growing pressure on the government to protect consumers from unlabeled GMOs, however the influence from big biotech has continued unabated. Consequently, we have not seen a shift in the government’s willingness to sign off on the newest genetically engineered crops. In December of 2011, the USDA deregulated Monsanto’s “drought-tolerant” corn (although none of the findings of Monsanto or the USDA have shown it to require less water than conventional corn). The USDA is also preparing to deregulate Dow’s newest GMO, corn engineered to withstand the herbicides 2,4-D and dicamba.
How does the Non-GMO Project work with health food store retailers on this issue?
Pineau: Retailer engagement is a core component of the Non-GMO Project’s outreach work. Through our work with conventional, specialty and organic retailers, we ensure that consumers have access to the information they need to make an informed choice about the food they consume and feed their families. This includes educational materials, point-of-sale information, labeling of products that are verified by the Non-GMO Project and ongoing outreach campaigns. In October 2012, the Non-GMO Project will celebrate the third annual Non- GMO Month. This month-long outreach campaign engaged over a 1,000 retailers in 2011. With thousands of products verified as compliant with the Non-GMO Project Standard, and the Non-GMO Project verification seal visible in stores in the U.S. and Canada, Non-GMO Month provides an opportunity for consumers and retailers to celebrate consumers’ right to choose non-GMO.
What does the Project have scheduled this year?
Pineau: The Non-GMO Project will continue its ongoing outreach and education campaigns throughout 2012. We are planning a strong presence at Natural Products Expo West in March, with several booths dedicated to the Non-GMO Project, along with hosted educational sessions and networking events for participants, retailers and manufacturers. In April, we are launching the “Non-GMO Challenge” in celebration of Earth Month. The Non-GMO Challenge will provide people the opportunity to learn more about the issues related to GMOs and to undertake a personal commitment to avoid GMOs.
The Non-GMO Month website, www.nongmomonth.org was home to a daily giveaway contest, a list of supporting retailers, and a calendar packed with non-GMO events hosted by consumers, retailers, manufacturers and aligned organizations.
Capsugel, (888) 783-6361
Garden of Life, (561) 748-2477
Mary’s Gone Crackers, (530) 846-5100
Natural Vitality, (800) 446-7462
Non-GMO Project, (877) 358-9240
Nordic Naturals, (831) 724-6200
Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems,(831) 429-9089
Silk, (888) 820-9283
