WASHINGTON — Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) president and CEO, Pamela G. Bailey, today announced the launch of www.FactsAboutGMOs.org, a new website designed to provide consumers, policymakers and the media with answers to their questions about the use of genetically modified (GM) food ingredients.
"Genetically modified food ingredients are not only safe for people and our planet, but they have a number of important benefits," said Ms. Bailey. "This technology has been used safely in the food supply in the United States for twenty years, and seventy to eighty percent of the food we eat in the United States, at home and away from home, contains ingredients that have been genetically modified.
"We know that some consumers have questions about genetically modified food ingredients. We built this Web site to help answer their questions about the safety, prevalence and benefits of this important and effective technology.
"Modern agricultural biotechnology helps us keep American food affordable and allows us to do that in a way that protects and preserves our natural resources by using less land, fewer pesticides and less water.
"GM technology has fueled an agricultural revolution in the United States that has helped us feed a growing American and world population. By 2050, we will need to expand food production by 70% just to keep pace with a global population that is expected to grow to nine billion."
www.FactsAboutGMOs.org allows consumers to research and verify the safety, prevalence and benefits of genetically modified food ingredients by visiting online information posted by credible and independent sources, including governmental food safety agencies, medical and health organizations, news organizations, food safety experts and non-governmental organizations.
Many of the most influential regulatory agencies and organizations that study the safety of the food supply, including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the American Medical Association, the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences, have found genetically modified food ingredients are safe and there are no negative health effects associated with their use.
GM technology adds desirable traits from nature, without introducing anything unnatural or using chemicals, so that food is more plentiful. This technology is not new. In fact, it has been around for the past 20 years, and today, 70-80% of the foods we eat in the United States, both at home and away from home, contain ingredients that have been genetically modified.
Ingredients grown using GM technology require fewer pesticides, less water and keep production costs down. In fact, GM technology helps reduce the price of crops used for food, such as corn, soybeans and sugar beets by as much as 15-30%. In addition, one in eight people among the world's growing population of seven billion do not have enough to eat, and safe and effective methods of food production, like crops produced through GM technology, can help us feed the hungry and malnourished in developing nations around the world.
"GMA and its member companies will continue to advocate for the continued safe and effective use of agricultural biotechnology to increase the food supply while lowering cost. And we will continue to engage in an informative dialogue with our consumers so that they understand the safety, prevalence and benefits of GM technology and so that they can make informed choices for themselves and their families," concluded Ms. Bailey.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the voice of more than 300 leading food, beverage and consumer product companies that sustain and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the globe.
Founded in 1908, GMA is an active, vocal advocate for its member companies and a trusted source of information about the industry and the products consumers rely on and enjoy every day. The association and its member companies are committed to meeting the needs of consumers through product innovation, responsible business practices and effective public policy solutions developed through a genuine partnership with policymakers and other stakeholders.
In keeping with its founding principles, GMA helps its members produce safe products through a strong and ongoing commitment to scientific research, testing and evaluation and to providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and an active lifestyle. The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry in the United States generates sales of $2.1 trillion annually, employs 14 million workers and contributes $1 trillion in added value to the economy every year.
Source: Grocery Manufacturers Association
