Global ID Group, a co-founder of the Non-GMO Project and technical administrator of the group, launched a new initiative at Expo West.

The Global Non-GMO Framework is said to be the first turnkey program that helps companies bring non-GMO-labeled products to markets overseas where Non-GMO Verification isn’t widely recognized.

There is a strong need for such a program, Ken Ross, CEO of Global ID Group, Inc., told WholeFoods Magazine. Nearly every country has its owns standards for an allowable non-GMO threshold, and even within that, there are many nuances. For instance, the Japanese government has a limit of 5%, but manufacturers hold themselves to a higher standard of 1%. “Thresholds in feeds and seeds in the United States are higher than elsewhere,” he states, and “Some individual retailers have their own standards.”

Given how difficult it is for companies to keep track of all these factors, the program would be like a “passport,” Ross says, so companies can more easily get products labeled non-GMO into various international markets. In addition, Global ID Group International Guide to GMO Regulation and Policy will be available this May.

Global ID Group says it has 20 years of experience in GMO testing, non-GMO certification, sourcing of non-GMO ingredients and global regulatory policies. The group also recently announced a new method of detecting genetically modified DNA in highly processed foods. “There are definitely situations where that kind of testing is appropriate. Oils are especially good or raw milk, where you can detect traces of DNA in the milk). This is on the cutting edge of science, and we’re in the process of validating those capabilities,” stated Ross.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2014 (online 3/21/14)