Ag Policy Blog

Whole Foods Changes Biotech Labeling Debate

Chris Clayton
By  Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor
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The dynamics in the biotech food-labeling debate shifted last week when Whole Foods announced all of the products in its U.S. and Canadian stores would have to be labeled if they contain ingredients from crops with genetically modified traits, or as everyone likes to label them "GMOs."

With more than 340 retail stores, Whole Foods is the nation's eighth-largest grocer, leaning heavily on buyers of organic and natural foods.

“We are putting a stake in the ground on GMO labeling to support the consumer’s right to know,” said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods Market in a news release. “The prevalence of GMOs in the U.S. paired with nonexistent mandatory labeling makes it very difficult for retailers to source non-GMO options and for consumers to choose non-GMO products. Accordingly, we are stepping up our support of certified organic agriculture, where GMOs are not allowed, and we are working together with our supplier partners to grow our non-GMO supply chain to ensure we can continue to provide these choices in the future.”

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Whole Foods' decision comes after a growing number of bills and possible ballot initiatives being proposed following the Proposition 37 vote last fall in California. Companies invested in biotech crops and processed foods were forced to spend $46 million to defeat the GMO labeling ballot measure. Those companies --- ranging from Monsanto Co., to Pepsico and Kraft Foods --- don’t' want to have to spend that kind of money again.

Commodity groups have added or shored up policy resolutions to prevent any labeling of foods with ingredients from biotech crops unless approved by the Food & Drug Administration. The thought was that Congress would add language to the farm bill to prevent these labeling attempts at the state level.

Whole Foods' announcement has drawn criticism -- from people who want biotech labeling. Groups have complained that Whole Foods is giving its suppliers until 2018 to either label their products or shift their commodity purchasing to avoid the need to label. Some groups want the labeling plan to take place sooner.

The politics on food labeling will be interesting to watch moving ahead. Whole Foods has become part of the demographic retail data that political prognosticators use to decipher voting trends. Cook Political Report cited after last fall's election that 77% of counties that contain Whole Foods stores voted for President Obama. That compares with more than 66% of counties with Cracker Barrel stores going for Republican Mitt Romney.

I can be found on Twitter @ChrisClaytonDTN

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Comments

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Ric Ohge
3/12/2013 | 10:46 AM CDT
Here's the completely missed point behind this. It's the CONSUMERS who changed 'Whole Foods' mind on the issue. At the moment I have ceased buying whole product lines over the unwillingness to be trans parent for those crazy folks who pay the taxes that subsidies come from, then pony up THEIR monies for the goods-and why is that? Big Companies spent $45M to end the Prop 37 Initiative...but it didn't end. We're Americans, we expect to have honest choices, especially about what we spend our money on. Congress, whether we like it or not, it seems, will spend whatever of our money they want to on subsidies for Industrial Farming. (Look what happened with Stamp Farms LLC, in spite of that) However, these Food Companies not only label the presence of GMO's on their packaging in over 61 other countries, but re-formulate contents as the resident laws demand. Whole Foods simply discovered sales of labeled non-GMO Foods went up 15+%. The Consumers are voting with their money-and remember it IS their money. If you keep wanting a piece of it, you might give it more than an out of hand dismissal. As far as practices go, I would voice with Bonnie a need for standardization just as sure for Organic as Industrial-hey, fair is fair.
Bonnie Dukowitz
3/12/2013 | 7:33 AM CDT
It is a free country. Whole Foods can do as they please. I just wonder if they purchase meat and cracker ingredient products from a few of my aqaintances' who are certified organic and have crop sprayers in their shed. Just some food for thought.
Jay Mcginnis
3/12/2013 | 5:35 AM CDT
I think Chris might have just coined a new label for the "red states",,,, the "cracker barrel states"????
Unknown
3/11/2013 | 9:42 PM CDT
What courage! We love whole foods
Bonnie Dukowitz
3/11/2013 | 11:57 AM CDT
Who in the world cares what they do or do not put on their labels? If that is their marketing ploy, more power to'em. We are going to plant BT corn this spring. Hope they recognize that 50% of the food produced in Africa is consumed by insects. Just seems more appealing to me to have corn flakes for breakfast rather than larvae. If people would get off their duff and grow their own, labeling would not be an issue.