Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 7/5/18

More than 11,000 comments from consumers, farm groups and multinational corporations like Hershey's poured in this week about USDA's proposed GMO labeling rule. As Pro Ag's Liz Crampton reports, food manufacturers are at odds with farmers over which ingredients should be subject to disclosure.

How food makers view GMOs: Companies argue that foods made with even some genetically modified corn, soybeans and sugar beets need to have disclosures.

What ag thinks: Farmers, who make up the other side of the debate, say it's not accurate to apply the standard to highly refined foods because they often only contain no detectable amounts of such products. (Almost all U.S. corn, soybean and beet sugar crops are bioengineered.)

Groups treading a fine line: The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group in Washington, told Reuters that it agrees with both sides. Farmers are correct in arguing their finished ingredients are no different scientifically from their non-GMO counterparts, but products should still be labeled, the group says. "USDA should read the statute broadly and provide consumers with as much information as possible, but it should be scientifically accurate," said Gregory Jaffe, director of the center's Project on Biotechnology. "They need a different disclosure for those highly refined ingredients."

Consumers and some lawmakers like Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) were more concerned about new language. USDA has suggested using the term or symbol for "BE" or "bioengineered," instead of "GMO" or "GM" for genetically modified organisms.
What's next: As Liz writes, the USDA is already behind schedule and it will take time for the department to sort out the thousands of comments and different perspectives.