06/02/2014: Feed costs go up if a solution to GMO labeling in the USA is not found

The American Feed Industry Association had joined the newly formed 'Coalition for Safe Affordable Food' to urge Congress to seek a federal solution and establish standards for the safety and labeling of animal feeds, petfoods and human foods and beverage products made with genetically modified ingredients.

GMO technology has the ability to minimise toxins in our cereals and grians - Source: Truth Alliance Network

“AFIA firmly believes there should be a Federal GMO labeling solution protecting consumers by ensuring the safety of both food and feed ingredients produced through the use of modern agricultural biotechnology,” said Leah Wilkinson, AFIA director of  ingredients, petfood and state affairs.

“If a labeling solution is not agreed upon and even a few of the pending state initiatives are successful, the feed industry’s cost of doing business goes up, on-farm production costs go up and ultimately the consumer pays the price, with no important information in hand.”

The broad coalition stated in a media conference call earlier today that such a federal GMO labeling solution would:

• Eliminate Confusion: Remove the confusion and uncertainty of a 50-state patchwork of GMO safety and labeling laws, and affirm the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the nation’s authority on the use and labeling of genetically modified feed and food ingredients.
• Advance Food Safety: Require FDA to conduct safety reviews of all new GMO traits before they are introduced into commerce.  FDA is empowered to mandate the labeling of GMO food ingredients if the agency determines there is a health, safety or nutrition issue with GMO technology.
• Inform Consumers: FDA will establish federal standards for companies seeking to voluntarily label their products for the absence of or presence of GMO ingredients to clearly understand their choices in the marketplace.
• Provide Consistency: FDA will define the term “natural” for its use on food and beverage products so human food and beverage companies and consumers have a consistent legal framework for food labels while informing consumer choice.

“With the vast majority of US-produced corn and soybeans enhanced through biotechnology, US feed products made with these genetically modified ingredients are deemed safe by FDA, and have been used by the industry for more than 20 years. They are beneficial to not only the industry, but to the planet and its population as a whole,” said Wilkinson.

It is expected the global population will increase from seven billion people to 9.5 billion people by 2050, and the world will need 70 percent more food production to meet the growing demand.

“AFIA recognizes the need for a consistent, national GMO labeling solution, but is strongly against labeling laws set by political campaigns or state and local legislatures. AFIA recommends FDA determine whether labeling is necessary as it is most in tune with our nation’s animal feed and food systems,” Wilkinson continued. 

“Such a solution determined by FDA,will help the industry to safely and continuously use evolving production technology to help meet global needs.”

Facts about GMOs 

• Many of the most influential regulatory agencies and organizations that study the safety of the food supply—FDA, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the US Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences—have found genetically modified food/feed  ingredients are safe and there are no negative health effects associated with their use.
• GM technology adds desirable traits from nature without introducing anything unnatural or using chemicals so food is more plentiful.
• GM technology is not new. In fact, it has been around for the past 20 years, and today, 70-80 percent of the foods we eat in the US, both at home and away from home, contain genetically modified ingredients..
• Ingredients grown using biotechnology require fewer pesticides, less water and keep production costs down.  In fact, plant biotechnology helps reduce the price of crops used for food, such as corn, soybeans and sugar beets, by as much as 15-30 percent.
• The world’s population is seven billion people, and one in eight people do not have enough to eat. Safe and effective food production tools, like crops produced through GM technology, can help us feed the hungry and malnourished around the world.

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