BIO Statement on Whole Foods Announcement to Label all GMOs Products in their Stores by 2018

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 8, 2013) – Whole Foods announced today that it will require the makers of food products sold in its stores to state on the label if a product contains an ingredient produced through agricultural biotechnology.

BIO fully supports the voluntary labeling of products to meet specific demands of consumers in the marketplace. 

But BIO does not support attempts to label food in a way that is misleading or that confuses consumers – for example, by suggesting that there is a difference in safety or nutrition between biotech food and organic food, when there is none.

BIO’s position is consistent with that of the labeling policy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which requires that mandatory food labeling present only information regarding nutritional content or health-related characteristics, such as allergenicity or toxicity.  These are not concerns that have ever been associated with foods improved through biotechnology.