The 2018 Non-GMO Sourcebook

NON-GMO MARKET NEWS

later dismissed the case. Transparency is important when making self-proclaimed non-GMO claims, says Ke- pler. “If a company is going to make a non-GMO claim, they need to have the definition be- hind it made public.” Otherwise, she says: “A non-GMO claim without a transparent definition or a third- party standard just creates doubt and confusion among consumers.

Chipotle Mexican Grill was sued in 2015 over its claim that the restaurant chain had tran- sitioned to non-GMO ingre- dients. The plaintiff said Chipotle’s meat and dairy were not non-GMO because the animals were not raised on non-GMO feed. Chipotle ar- gued that it had disclosed that its meat and dairy could come from animals fed genetically modified feed. A federal judge

We have to make this easy for consumers.” Jorgensen emphasizes that if a company is making a self- proclaimed non-GMO claim, then it must be defensible. “If you aren’t going to use third-party certification, you re- ally need to think through all the ramifications and where GMOs could enter into your supply chain for your product. You need to put in some re-

sources to verify your ingredient suppliers all the way up the sup- ply chain.” But, he says third-party certification is the better op- tion. “It gives the brand and products a lot more security in making the claim, there’s so much less liability. ” ( This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of The Organic & Non-GMO Re- port)

To celebrate Non-GMO Month in 2016, Better for You Brands joined with the Non-GMO Project to create art cropping up directly from the corn fields that supply Our Little Rebel- lion snacks. On an 8.5-acre canvas, “revolutionaries” cut through corn stalks to replicate the Non-GMO Project butterfly seal and broadcast the slogan, Join the Corn Revolution!

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