Kudos to Campbell Soup for GMO Labels, Pushing Big Food to Follow Example

Here's something I rarely embrace:  an international mega-corporation that manufactures canned, packaged, and frozen food products, and generates upward of $8 billion in annual revenues.

But let's give credit where courageous credit is due.  

Kudos to Campbell Soup Company, the 150-year-old American company still headquartered on U.S. shores, in New Jersey. A company with products sold in more than 120 countries. 

Last week, Campbell broke ranks with its Big Food industry corporate competitors by declaring that all its products will clearly disclose the presence of genetically modified ingredients.  Wrote Campbell in its January 7, 2016 press release:

"Campbell Soup Company today announced its support for the enactment of federal legislation to establish a single mandatory labeling standard for foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

"Campbell believes it is necessary for the federal government to provide a national standard for labeling requirements to better inform consumers about this issue...

"As a result... Campbell will withdraw from all efforts by coalitions and groups opposing such measures... Campbell is prepared to label all of its U.S. products for the presence of ingredients that were derived from GMOs...  With 92 percent of Americans supporting the labeling of GMO foods, Campbell believes now is the time for the federal government to act quickly to implement a federal solution."

Finally!  A Big Food company that respects basic consumer rights to know what's in their food. To let consumers decide for themselves whether or not to buy GMO foods to serve at home.

Campbell President Denise Morrison penned:

"We put the consumer at the center of everything we do.  That’s how we’ve built trust for nearly 150 years.  We have always believed that consumers have the right to know what’s in their food...

"In addition, we have declared our intention to set the standard for transparency in the food industry. We have been openly discussing our ingredients, including those derived from GMO crops, through our WhatsinmyFood.com website... We have announced the removal of artificial colors and flavors from our products."

Big Food Has Fiercely Fought the Right to Know

Campbell Soup's newly enlightened direction is a dramatic break from Big Food's fierce fight against federal legislation and state ballot propositions to mandate labeling on GMO foods.    

In 2012, the Who's Who of Modern Industrial Food... Monsanto, DuPont, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Nestle USA, Campbell's, Kellogg, J.M. Smucker, General Mills, many more... defeated California's  Prop 37 (for GMO labeling) with powerful political might and hundreds of millions in advertising.   Similar measures were narrowly defeated in Oregon, Washington and Colorado, and passed in Vermont.  

Twenty states currently have pending or proposed legislation to require labeling for GMO foods. (source - JustLabelIt.org)  In the U.S., almost all non-organic corn, sugar beets, soybeans, rice, canola, and cottonseed oil are genetically modified, and by large industrial food corporations. One or more of GMO ingredients is present in virtually all processed food sold in U.S. markets and grocery stores, from cereals, cookies, and crackers to ice cream, peanut butter, oils, deli items, and, well, everything. 

Not Pledged to Remove GMO Ingredients

Mind you, Campbell Soup has not pledged to remove GMO ingredients from its products, but merely to disclose their inclusion to consumers, who can then judge for themselves to buy or not to buy.  

Campbell President Denise Morrison explained:

"... we’re in no way disputing the science behind GMOs or their safety. The overwhelming weight of scientific evidence indicates that GMOs are safe and that foods derived from crops using genetically modified seeds are not nutritionally different from other foods...

"Ingredients derived from these crops are in many of our products. We also believe that GMOs and other technologies will play a crucial role in feeding the world."

Support Campbell for Doing the Right Thing

Kudos to Campbell Soup Company for leading the way by breaking the GMO stalemate between consumers and Big Food mega-corporations.  

I believe in rewarding corporate leadership that does the right thing by consumers.

That means when I must buy processed foods with GMOs.... and in grocery stores today, nearly all products (except certain fruits, vegetables and meats) are or contain GMOs... I will reach first for Campbell's products, which include these brands:

• Campbell's soups and related
• Prego
• Pace
• V8
• Swansons
• Pepperidge Farm
• Goldfish
• Garden Fresh Gourmet

Please join me in reaching first for Campbell Soup Company products over processed foods by companies that don't support our right to know what's in our food.   By taking our business to companies, as Campbell Soup, who do the right thing, we will encourage others to follow their good example.

Power to the people!

Related "Fake Food" Reading

GMO Foods: Do Americans Have the Right to Know What They Eat?

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