FDBusiness.com

As the campaign to label food products made with GMO ingredients moves across the United States, Ben & Jerry’s has aligned itself with the growing consumer movement for transparency and the right to know what’s in food by supporting mandatory GMO labelling legislation.

The ice cream maker says that it led the fight that began in 1993 for the right to label its products rBGH free, and the company has stood firmly in opposition to cloned and GMO animals, including cows and salmon.

“While a single, unified national standard would be preferred over a state by state approach, we believe success at the state level will ultimately lead to a national standard,” said Rob Michalak, the company’s global social mission director.

For products sold in all markets outside of North America, Ben & Jerry’s ingredients are sourced non-GMO. Currently in North America, 80% of ingredients by volume are sourced non-GMO. The company acknowledges that it still has some difficult work to do, but it plans to complete the transition by the end of 2013.

“All of us at Ben & Jerry’s are proud to stand with the growing movement of citizens, farmers, suppliers, companies, and others, in demanding the right to know what’s in the food we eat,” added Michalak.

Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is a synthetic (man-made) hormone that is marketed to dairy farmers to increase milk production. It has been used in the United States since it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1993, but its use is not permitted in the European Union, Canada, and some other countries.

The available evidence shows that the use of rBGH can cause adverse health effects in cows. The evidence for potential harm to humans is inconclusive.