Consumers are increasingly interested in agriculture and in understanding how food is produced. Food production often starts with a seed, and as a company involved in one of the first steps of food production, we are one of many stakeholders involved in the dialogue about labeling.

Monsanto supports food companies’ choices to voluntarily label food products based on their customers’ preferences [e.g., organic or non-Genetically Modified (GM)], provided the label is truthful and not misleading. Food companies are in the best position to determine what type of information meets the needs and desires of their customers.

MONSANTO IS 100% SUPPORTIVE OF FOOD COMPANIES’ CHOICES TO VOLUNTARILY LABEL FOOD

Each country establishes its own food labeling laws. Within the United States, the government has established clear requirements for labeling of food products, including those containing GM ingredients, and we support these rules and regulations. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees food labeling. The FDA has concluded that there is no need to mandate labeling of the process – such as agricultural biotechnology – by which food was developed or produced, because accurate information regarding the food is already required.  Consistent with this approach, if a production or processing difference results in a change in the food itself, or alters the food in some way, then that difference will be reflected on the label. The American Medical Association (AMA) supports the FDA’s science-based approach and approved a formal statement asserting that there is no scientific justification for special labeling of foods containing GM ingredients.

We agree with the AMA and support the FDA guidelines on labeling food products containing GM ingredients. However, we oppose the mandatory labeling of food and ingredients developed from GM seeds because it could be interpreted as a warning or imply that these ingredients are harmful or somehow inferior to their conventional or organic counterparts.

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, SEEDS IMPROVED THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY HAVE BECOME THE PREFERRED CHOICE OF MILLIONS OF FARMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

Additionally, we oppose mandatory labeling initiatives because:

• The safety of GM products on the market is well-established. Multiple health societies, hundreds of independent scientific experts and dozens of governments have determined that biotech crops are safe. We go to great lengths to ensure the safety of our products, which you can learn more about in our chapter on Commitments.
• We believe we have a responsibility to our value-chain partners. Some pro-labeling campaigns appear to call into question the safety of our partners’ food and beverage products.
• Labeling may actually contribute to challenges in acceptance of the technology, not just in the U.S., but also around the world, especially in developing countries that, in some cases, need them most.

Over the past two decades, seeds improved through biotechnology have become the preferred choice of millions of farmers around the world. This rapid adoption of the technology has occurred because of the real benefits experienced by farmers, many of them small shareholders. Proponents of these labeling initiatives are very clear in their intention to stop the use of GM seed in the U.S. and globally. They seek to discredit the safety of GM seed in the U.S. and pass similar laws in other countries.

In the end, we choose to defend choice – for farmers, consumers, and food companies. We believe the choice to voluntarily label food products should sit with the companies who make and package food. Many labeled certified organic or non-GM products are available for consumers who prefer to purchase them, consistent with their personal preferences. These varied offerings provide additional choices for all consumers and avoid the potential of misleading the public with mandated labeling that raises concerns about the quality, safety or healthfulness of the products they have come to know and trust.