Talk about some awesome awareness… today’s Washington Post included a special circular dedicated to The Organic Movement. The center spread of the circular features the above outstanding article by the Non-GMO Project’s Executive Director Megan Westgate (click on the image to view it, click it a second time to make it larger for reading).
One month ago, we decided to start posting regular articles that spotlight organic, GMO-free product manufacturers—with a focus on those that are backed by a healthy dose of integrity, sustainability, and overall do-good-for-the-community. Our first spotlight of outstanding Non-GMO brands was Annie’s Homegrown / Annie’s Naturals. This month, we’d like to spotlight…
Think going GMO-free is tough? Think again. Here are five steps you can take at your own pace, as time, budget and energy allows:
Organic is Usually GMO Free
Buying 100% Organic, Certified Organic, and USDA Organic-labeled products is usually the easiest way to identify and avoid genetically modified ingredients.
The United States and Canadian governments do NOT allow companies to label products “100% / Certified Organic” if they contain genetically modified foods.
To put it in more detail:
100% Organic: Must contain 100 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). This is the only label that certifies a completely organic product AND completely GMO-free ingredients.
Certified Organic / USDA Organic / Organic: At least 95 percent of content is organic by weight (excluding water and salt). The <5% remaining ingredients must consist of substances approved on the USDA’s National List. (If that link doesn’t work, try this one or this one; they keep changing the URLs.) GMOs are NOT on this list, so these products are also usually GMO-free.
Made with Organic: Up to 70% of the ingredients are organic. These products can NOT carry a “USDA organic” label and are NOT typically GMO-free.
But lately, even organic products are at risk….
