Washington, D.C.—The Natural Products Association (NPA) board of directors recently announced that it has endorsed the Genetically Engineered Food Right-To-Know Act, which mandates that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) require the labeling of genetically modified ingredients to be labeled on foods. NPA is the first natural products industry trade association to back the legislation.
The NPA announced its position three months after the association called for foods containing GMOs to be accurately labeled under a national uniform standard. “Supporting this legislation is the next logical step for the Natural Products Association,” said NPA Executive Director and CEO John Shaw in a press statement. “We feel strongly that this bill is in line with our guiding principles on GMO labeling, and that it will lead the country on the path toward transparency that Americans are demanding.”
Meanwhile, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) board of trustees adopted a policy to advocate for a federal regulation for voluntary disclosure of absence of genetically engineered or modified ingredients in food and dietary supplements.
Like NPA, the AHPA board acknowledged that a single federal regulation is more practical than a patchwork of state labeling requirements. But, it believes the voluntary route is the most effective. “AHPA’s members have diverse views when it comes to labeling products to disclose genetically engineered ingredients,” stated AHPA President Michael McGuffin. “The AHPA board’s action signals support for the broadly expressed consumer interest in making informed purchase decisions when it comes to GE/GMO foods, while recognizing a ‘voluntary disclosure of absence’ approach as the best regulatory option to accomplish this.”
Published in WholeFoods Magazine, September 2013 (posted 8/12/13)
