“GMO-Free” Claims and False and Misleading Food Labels—Why Is FDA AWOL?

Launched in 2005, the Non GMO Project Butterfly label is now found on thousands of foods in U.S. grocery stores. For a fee, it misleads and deceives consumers by suggesting it can protect them against the non-existent dangers of GMOs by helping them avoid consuming them. But the presence of the label does not ensure the absence of GMOs (for which the definition is, in any case, inaccurate and nonsensical) and regulatory agencies and scientists around the world have confirmed the safety of these foods in any event. Congress has given FDA strong instructions and authority to protect consumers against misleading labels. FDA has published guidance documents making it clear that misleading labels like the Non GMO Project butterfly are not allowed, yet they have taken no action. It’s time for FDA to step up and protect American consumers from this modern snake oil scheme.