It has taken two years, but the United States Department of Agriculture now has released its labeling requirements for genetically-modified foods.
Farmers and food processors greeted the announcement with relief that they finally have clear rules.
But consumer groups criticized the department for saying companies need to use the term “bioengineered” instead of “genetically engineered” or “GMO.”
“The USDA has betrayed the public trust by denying Americans the right to know how their food is produced,” said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director at the Center for Food Safety.
The rules also exclude some highly-processed ingredients such as sugar from beet and soyoil.
The rules will, of course, apply to Canadian products exported to the U.S., but not to products for the Canadian market where saner regulators and politicians have rejected GMO labeling regulations.
If there were a real difference with GMO crops, labeling might make some sense, but since there are no significant differences, it's just another nuisance cost.
