For the last 15 years, numerous organizations and legislators have been battling to require the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. During that time 64 other countries have mandated this labeling, but not the United States. Many of us in the food movement have said that it was not a matter of if we would join with these countries and have GE labeling, but when. Well, it looks like when may have finally arrived.

Several major companies have announced they will label GE products.

Over the course of just a few days, several major companies have announced they will label GE products, including Kellogg’s, ConAgra, Mars, and General Mills. Earlier this year, Campbell’s announced it would label. What caused this wave of GE labeling? It certainly hasn’t been a sudden realization that more than 90 percent of Americans want labeling, which polls have shown for many years. And these companies have never been pro-labeling. Just the opposite. Each has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund massive PR campaigns opposing various state GE labeling initiatives.

This sudden turnaround was actually triggered by a […]