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As a wholesale supplier, we understand that our customers prefer to market our products with their own brand. To do so is simple:
Food product labels and packaging that tout “natural” or “all natural” now need to be careful. If those products contain any genetically modified organism (GMO) ingredients, that “natural” reference may be illegal.
According to a recent post on Food Safety News, President Obama signed a bill this summer amending the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a national disclosure standard for bioengineered foods. While the new law establishes the framework for labeling food products containing bioengineered or GMO ingredients, the specific ingredient threshold for labeling is still being determined.
The good news is that before this law, there was no federal requirement that food products containing GMOs be labeled at all. Because of growing public misconceptions about the safety of GMOs, several states passed their own GMO labeling laws. The new federal law is a better alternative because it replaces a patchwork of competing and potentially conflicting state-to-state laws with one uniform labeling standard. Companies can disclose GMO ingredients through one of three options:
The bad news is that this mandate will likely increase the cost of goods sold. Manufacturers now need to obtain assurances from their suppliers as to whether the ingredients they are purchasing are genetically modified.
Whether this new law succeeds or fails remains to be told, as the Secretary of Agriculture hasn’t written the final rules yet and they don’t take effect until 2018-2019. In the meantime, educate your food industry customers about many innovative label and packaging options that can help keep their products properly labeled. Because in the long run, more transparency in labeling builds the trust that ultimately builds consumer loyalty.
Click here to download a customizable label flyer to brand with your company’s contact information to promote your food and beverage label services.
Western States Envelope & Label creates many award-winning labels and packaging products with accurate barcoding capabilities. Contact us for more about our innovative offerings and complimentary samples.
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Renee M. Berger was the Marketing Manager at Western States. As an integral part of the management team, she worked with a large number of customers and prospects, as well as inside and outside sales. In addition to her work, Renee expands her creative outlets with pro-bono work for nonprofit organizations, marketing, social media coaching, painting, illustration, and photography. |