GMA Members Set To Label GMOs

In light of last week’s Senate failure to pass the DARK Act, which would have stomped states’ rights to label GMOs, the writing was on the wall: Federal policy is set to follow the will of the American people, 94% of which are in favor of our right to label GMOs. Still, the lightning-fast way that major manufacturers like General Mills and Kellogg’s announced plans to label GMOs on product packaging was a surprise. What does the Grocery Manufacturers Association have to do with it?

After last week’s DARK Act Senate failure, major manufacturers like GM announced plans to label GMOs on product packaging, leaving the GMA in the dust. Not much. The GMA fought hard against mandatory labeling GMOs, especially after Vermont set its sights on being the first state to require labeling, which goes into effect July 1st. But although GMA lobbyists pressed hard enough on the House to pass the DARK Act last year, they couldn’t get enough votes for S. 2609 in the Senate. (How did your Senator vote? Click here to find out and how to Shout Out or Shame them on Twitter.)

The news that the DARK Act had failed was announced on Wednesday. In the next few days, it was like a giant game of dominoes: First General Mills, then Kellogg’s and ConAgra, announced that they would label their products “Produced with Genetic Engineering,” some as soon as mid-April. That’s this month!

Game over.