What a week.

Wednesday we defeated the DARK Act. And guess what? Today, General Mills has announced that it will begin labeling genetically engineered ingredients in all its products nationwide. This is a major victory for your right to know. 

Oddly enough, General Mills has been one of the companies most vehemently opposed to GE labeling, spending millions of dollars to oppose state labeling initiatives around the country. Why would a company that has fought so hard to stop your right to know finally come around? Well, with the overwhelming defeat of the DARK Act this week they read the writing on the wall. As their public announcement made clear, General Mills’ decision to label was made because with our victory in the Senate they realized they had to begin labeling to obey the Vermont law which comes into effect in July. 

This announcement follows Campbell’s decision in January to start labeling its own genetically engineered products. The move to national labeling by two of the largest food companies in the country also shows that labeling for GE ingredients will not increase costs to consumers as industry and some in Congress have claimed – both Campbell’s and General Mills have stated that prices will not increase due to the change in labels. These changes also show that, despite what they have been saying in Congress, and in the media, food companies can and will label their GE ingredients with simple words on the package, not hidden behind some QR code.

This shift could not have happened without YOU! CFS members like you joined together to send over half a million emails and phone calls to Congress demanding our right to know what it’s in our food. You beat back the DARK Act and now Congress and food companies are paying attention.

Thank you for all that you do – every action you take with us brings us one step closer to GE food labeling in the U.S. These victories truly belong to you!

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- The Center for Food Safety team