Sunday September 6, 2009, 7:53 am
With farmers using gene-altered seeds to grow much of North America’s corn, soybeans, canola and sugar, ingredients derived from biotech crops have become hard for food companies to avoid. But many makers of organic and natural foods are convinced that their credibility in the marketplace requires them to do so.

The industry group, the Non-GMO Project, says its new label is aimed at reassuring consumers and will be backed by rigorous testing.

“There’s a vulnerability here that the industry is addressing,” said Michael J. Potter, the founder and president of Eden Foods and a board member of the Non-GMO Project, the organization responsible for the testing and labeling campaign.

As plantings of conventional crops with genetic modifications soared in recent years, Mr. Potter put in place stringent safeguards to ensure that the organic soybeans he bought for tofu, soy milk and other products did not come from genetically engineered plants. He even supplies the seed that farmers use to grow his soybeans.

But many other companies have not been so careful, and as a result, Mr. Potter said, the organic and natural foods industry is like “a dirty room” in need of cleaning.

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Please read more at site. "Mostly" biotech free.... eeeewwww.

Sunday September 6, 2009, 11:26 am
GMO's has been proven to be one of the causes of colony collapse disorder in the US, 61 % percent of North American honey bees have died in the last three years. GMO;s have been proven to be unsafe as far as I am concerned.

Sunday September 6, 2009, 12:23 pm
Thanx Michelle. This would be an improvement on what we already have. In Canada, currently, mandatory labelling is not in place for fear of retaliation from our biggest trading partner (US), who do not require mandatory labelling either. Small producers are reluctant to voluntarily label GMO-free food items because they risk losing shelf space in the larger retail outlets due to pressure from the larger more well-known brands who don't want to avail the consumers of the opportunity for side-by-side comparisons.

While this initiative is voluntary, it is a step in the right direction. It may embolden a number of small retailers to join the movement and label GMO-free. As for the use of the word "mostly", I'm not too sure how useful the term is either Michelle. The only reason they may use the term is because it is unlikely that there are many uncontaminated sources of corn, beans or canola left in the world. A GMO-free claim in the case where these products would be used, even if they were certified organic, would be like claiming to have "pure" gold.

Wednesday September 9, 2009, 5:55 am
Thannxx.. we need correct labelling on our products, noting where they originated from and what farms they come from..