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[SANET-MG] moron "voluntary" labeling in Canada



The article below is from the Gallon newsletter , it provides a URL for the
government document. I am still staggered at how the bureaucrats plan to flaunt
the excessive GM pollution of  crops in Canada by imposing a 5% acceptable
pollution rate. It is not surprising that the  bureaucrats failed to obtain
opinion form organic and environmental critics of GM policies. The
consultations they chose were from government bureaucrats ,biotechnology
advocates and food sales organizations. It is shocking that the elected
politicians identify themselves with such brainless machinations.

VOLUNTARY LABELLING OF GM FOOD STANDARD PUBLISHED



The Canadian General Standards Board has published a final

National Standard for the Voluntary Labelling and

Advertising of Foods That Are and Are Not Products of

Genetic Engineering. The two biggest objections from groups

such as Greenpeace Canada are that the standard allows for

voluntary rather than mandatory labelling and that a non-GE

label can be put on a food even it is contains up to just

under 5% genetically modified ingredients. Voluntary means

that the food doesn't have to be labeled but if it is

labeled, those who choose to comply with the standard agree

to follow the procedures in the standard.



The food producers choosing to use the standard (let GL know

if you encounter any) will have to keep up-to-date on which

products on the market are genetically modified as some of

the claims have to account for this. For example, if there

are no GE oranges on the market, the no-GE claim must say

something like, "Like all oranges, the oranges in this fruit

salad are not a product of genetic engineering."



In order to make a claim that any of the ingredients, say in

a fruit salad, are not a product of genetic engineering, the

food producer must do the following:

The source of each ingredient making up 1% or more by weight

of the salad must be checked.
The label must indicate in the ingredient list all

ingredients which are products of genetic engineering or

mixtures of GE and non-GE. If there are unverified

ingredients, these can constitute no more than 5% of the

total weight of the fruit salad.
Special rules apply if the claim is made more prominently on

the front display panel rather than the ingredient list.



All claims whether for GE or non-GE must have documentation

to verify them; verification may include testing, detection

processes, inspection, and audits. A management and control

system needs to be in place to follow the food from the

planting of seed, harvesting, preparation, processing,

packaging, transporting, storing, and final distribution.

Documentation must be kept when the food is made and a

reasonable length of time afterwords depending on the shelf

life of the product.



The standard also applies to advertising and food packaged

at point of sale and bulk food. It does not apply to

processing aids, enzymes used in small quantities,

substrates for micro-organisms, veterinary biologics and

animal feeds.



Although it is possible that the Canadian Food Inspection

Agency will use the standard for judging labelling claims,

past experience with previous standards such as the

voluntary organic agriculture national standard has shown

that it takes a long time for the regulators to decide

whether and how to use these types of standards in

regulations or guidelines. In the meantime, the press

release posted on the CFIA web site states, "As with all

Canadian standards, both industry and governments will

benefit from a clear understanding of the acceptable

framework surrounding the making of food claims."



GL had previously recommended that because of its importance

this standard be made available free because such standards

often cost over $60. Thanks to negotiations between CGSB and

CFIA, the standard is now freely available on the CGSB web

site.



Canadian General Standards Board. Voluntary Labelling and

Advertising of Foods That Are and Are Not Products of

Genetic Engineering National Standard. CAN/CGSB-32.315-2004

Gatineau, Quebec: April 2004.

http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/032_025/standard-e.html

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