I have copied my post last month, to the new Wal-Mart "Check-out" Blog:
"It would
seem natural for Wal-Mart to adopt the same Non-GMO labeling standard as Whole
Foods and other multi-stakeholders in the organic food market: (See link
below.)
Organic
agriculture is certified organic in a process based standards system. While
GMOs are prohibited per the USDA/NOP Certified Organic Standard, there are NO
TESTS conducted during the certification process on organic
agriculture to ensure/prove that Organic food is indeed Non-GMO or GMO-Free.
As you know
GMO contamination does happen albeit primarily accidental via drift-or
inappropriate transfer handling of GMO product. Concerns are arising daily with
GMO contamination especially in the area of feedstock (e.g.cows) for
products such as organic milk.
In 2006 the
US represented 55% of the GLOBAL area devoted to biotech planted crops. Of
the area in the US ( 2006) that is now laden with GMO crops; 89% of
SOY is GMO, 83% of Cotton, 75% of Canola and 60% of all the CORN planted
is a GMO variety.
Europe has a
Non-GMO labeling system-mandatory-inplace.By the way demanded for, by
consumers!!!
Since
Wal-Mart has stores in the EU, it is already being done there and you could
follow best practices in the EU.
For Wal-Mart
to adopt the labeling of Non-GMO product for ALL ORGANICS seems like an extra
bit of an insurance policy to ensure the integrity of the "Certified
Organic" label in your stores (Sams Club too!)
PLUS- This
lets the Wal-Mart consumer know that YOU-Wal-Mart truly care about the health
and well being of all of us consumers that shop there.
If this was
adopted by Wal-Mart this would prove Wal-Marts Market Leadership in
Sustainability, and if you are leary of this,why don't you start where you did
in organic cotton--in the baby area. Infant formula and baby food would be a
natural--what says you care more about consumers than that?
PS While, I
would like to see Wal-Mart adopt Non-GMO Labeling of all food, organic and
conventional it seems appropriate to start somewhere like baby, as that
proved successful in the area of organic cotton."
Link to
Mulit-Stakeholder: Non-GMO Project: www.nongmoproject.org
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