The question “Do you support or oppose required GMO labeling of pet foods?” was sent to over 80 pet food manufacturers. Here are the responses we have received thus far…
Recently ‘The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act’ was introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Though we do not have 100% confirmation yet, it is believed that pet foods will be included in this bill. So I wondered…which pet food companies are in support of or opposed to required GMO labeling of pet foods. Here’s the responses that have been received so far…
In Support of Required GMO Labeling
Answers Pet Food
Bravo Pet Food
Burns Pet Health
Carna4 Pet Food
Champion Pet Food
Evangers Pet Food
Flint River Ranch Pet Food
FreshFetch Pet Food
Great Life Pet Food
Honest Kitchen Pet Food
Hound & Gatos Pet Food
Just Food for Dogs Pet Food
Kumpi Pet Food
Lucky Dog Pet Food
Mulligan Stew
Natura Pet Food
Nature’s Logic Pet Food
PeopleFud Pet Food
RawHealth Pet Food
Rudy Green’s Pet Food
Solid Gold Pet Food
Steve’s Real Food Pet Food
Weruva Pet Food
Ziwi Peak Pet Food
In Opposition of Required GMO Labeling
(no responses of opposition received)
Three companies (thus far) responded but did not provide a clear response to whether they support or oppose required GMO Labeling of pet foods/treats…
Castor & Pollux Pet Food
We are aware of the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act proposal and will follow it should it become a legal requirement.
Merrick Pet Food
We are aware of the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act proposal and will follow it should it become a legal requirement.
Newman’s Own Pet Food
We’re not a politically driven company. We don’t hire lobbyists or give money to candidates or political parties. We stick to our knitting which is using organic ingredients to make quality products and generate money for the Newman’s Own Foundation to give away. Newman’s Own Organics will comply with any GMO labeling law that is passed.
Requests were sent to more than 80 pet food manufacturers. If your pet food company is not included in the above list, it does not mean they were not asked. It could be the request has not reached the proper person needed to respond. Or, it could be the pet food manufacturer does not wish to respond (such as perhaps they oppose required GMO labeling and does not wish to make this information public). However, if your pet food company is not included in the list above, please write or call them and ask them to respond (Ask: Do you support or oppose required GMO labeling of pet foods/treats? Please tell company to forward their response to this question to Susan@TruthaboutPetFood.com to be included on the list).
Personal Note: I found it interesting that not one ‘oppose’ has been received (thus far). I believe pet food consumers (and human food consumers) deserve to know if any GMO food/ingredient is included in our food purchases. However on the flip side, if a pet food manufacturer is opposed to required GMO labeling, I believe they should have the courage to stand behind those convictions. But so far, it doesn’t appear any pet food manufacturer is willing to publicly state they oppose required GMO labeling of pet foods. Interesting…are they really that scared of telling the public the truth?
Please check back with this page; as more responses are received they will be posted here.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
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Marsha
May 7, 2013 at 3:29 pm
I would love to know if Earthborn is in support of this.
Debi
May 9, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Me too, our dog is doing well on it and she has total IBS issues.
Darlyn
May 7, 2013 at 4:21 pm
Many thanks for this unique canvassing Susan. In particular, I would like to hear what Dogswell has to say about their dog kibble which they claim, unlike their treats, is produced-sourced in the USA. Plus, with your closing question, I would venture to guess that those who lean toward the oppose side do want to remain silent with the wait-and-see position because GMOs are such a politically hot potato right now.
Several months back I wrote to some human food manufacturers who tout on their labels the ‘All natural, all healthy’ descriptions [i.e. as processed foods, but with implied higher quality in bakery, chips, breads] to ask whether this meant they were NOT using the GMO raw materials? And while I can gladly give due credit for their timely response, each and every one took a position of sitting-on-the-fence by asserting in so many words, “Although we do our best to use only the safest, most natural ingredients, there are so many GMOs in the food chain by now that we cannot guarantee our finished product will be GMO-free.”
Needless to say, if the egregious lack of transparency with all this lab-manipulated exposure is so prevalent, then both the manufacturer’s word and integrity with a ‘rock solid guarantee’ will be what matters MOST to any discerning consumer for their safest consumption of human food and the choices they make for furry friends.
Nicole Lindsley
May 7, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Hi Susan,
I did not see any request come in asking if Steve’s Real Food is for or against GMO labeling, but would like to formally state that we are for labeling in pet and human food. Secondly, we believe that it needs to stated if any kill steps are being used such as HPP. We all have the right to know!
Susan Thixton
May 7, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Thanks Nicole – will add you to the list above. And you have a good point regarding HPP – that should be stated on labels as well.
Ellie
May 7, 2013 at 4:35 pm
I find Newman’s response interesting. “We are not politically driven….” Since when is telling the truth or concern for possibly toxic foods being sold to the public considered to be political?
Most of the companies that are for truth in labeling are companies that are already at least trying to produce a healthy product to sell. Shame on the rest of them.
Lila Bett
May 7, 2013 at 8:22 pm
I too was surprised at Newman’s response. They are supposedly for Organic. I just sent them a note today because they use Carrageenan in their canned organic foods which is a known carcinogen..stomach cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. They also tout AFCO standards which I told them mean nothing when it comes to food safety for our pets.
Ellie
May 8, 2013 at 7:29 am
The organic company uses Carrageenan? These companies that build a reputation of being healthy by deception are the worst!
Lila Bett
May 8, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Yes, and I checked out Dick Van Pattens food and it has Carrageenan in the canned food as well. What is with that? Everyone needs to check the canned food for this…and check their own human food as well as it is ALLOWED to be used for us as well and is in plenty of products!
Kent Petersime
May 7, 2013 at 6:58 pm
I’m surprised that Life’ Abundance didn’t jump on this. Tomorrow I will call and ask. Been using their food for a good while now and hope to continue……
Laurie Raymond
May 7, 2013 at 7:18 pm
As a retailer, I would like to see the list of 80 you sent the question to. If any of the ones I sell haven’t replied, I’ll bug ’em to do so!
Samantha
May 7, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Hopefully Fromm will step up…
chuck
May 7, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Thnx for the GMO info. Of course no wimps are going to publish what they willl contineu doing only for the sake of the almighty dollar– not the lives of cats & dogs. They are disposable is their thinking.
These facts you espose need to get into the general public media, not just we few subscribers in your niche emails and for your many causes regarding proper nutrition.
Florida Boxer Rescue 300 volunteers are getting tiere of me paraphrasing what you write. I’m only trying to protect the lives and lomgeivity of our dear boxer rescues—flbr.org
Visit our web site sometime. See how stringent we are about who is priviledged to adopt.
Is raw food preparation becoming more popular?
The New York Times., Time Magazine,
all the pet magazines,all urban Sunday editions of newspapers throughout the country. More than just what a animal interested or pet owner would expect to find something helpful for their pet cat or dog. Names names & ciojmpanies. Focus on what brands grocery stores sell. A segment on “60 MInutes” would be all that would be necessary since few Americans read any more.
Any connections there at CBS in NYC?
Focus on one city –Orlando??– only and the typ[ical kind of food owneres feed their “drlings”. The distributors are the ones who know who sell what. Not the “big box” places— Petco, Petsmart, etc. Do they have a voice in what they sell or are just told by corporate must sell and push?
Thanks
Chuck Lnker
boxeradvertising@aol.com
Altamonte Springs, Fl 32714
flbr.org
407/682-4246
Sonja
May 8, 2013 at 4:03 am
Champion pet foods (Orijen, Acana) already discloses no GMO’s in their ingredients or finished products. It is stated on the front of their bags. So I guess they are all for other companies also disclosing this information?
Robin
May 10, 2013 at 9:19 am
Thank you Susan! This topic is so important going forward.
After reading Newman’s comments, I will no longer support them. In fact, my cats won’t eat their wet food. There is NO gray area on this subject. Your work and information is greatly appreciated.
Lila Bett
May 10, 2013 at 9:58 am
I did get a reply from Newman’s about them putting Carrageenan in their food. It was from their “veterinarian” and was what I would call all “doublespeak”. I think he was trying to out do my complaint by posting all sorts of data. I should post it and my reply back! LOL! For every thing he quoted about it there are studies that are the direct opposite. I have not heard back from him since my reply. I don’t expect I will.
Laurie Smith
May 12, 2013 at 6:43 pm
I, too, would like to see the list of the 80 pet food manufacturers you sent this question to.
Have you updated this post since May 7 with any further responses?
Susan Thixton
May 13, 2013 at 8:33 am
The 80 plus are all the pet food companies in Petsumer.
Kent Petersime
May 13, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Here is the Response I received from Life’s Abundance last week. Sound like were going in circles to me.
__________________________________
Please type your reply at the top of the email…
Adrienne
MAY 08, 2013 | 02:12PM EDT
Thanks so much for your question regarding the exclusion of GMO ingredients in our formulas.
While we do not advocate on behalf of ingredients that have been genetically modified – in fact, we’ve gone to some lengths to ensure that our whole grains are not – we cannot ensure that every single ingredient isn’t. The reason for this is that early use of GMO lead to a widespread alteration in the global food supply. Partly, this is due to cross-pollination and misleading labeling, but also because the science is still inconclusive about the differences in the ultimate qualities of individual items.
According to the latest USDA estimates, four out of five packaged human foods include at least one or more genetically modified ingredient. For instance, more than 90% of all soy is GM, and nearly as much corn is, too.
As you can see, it’s a complicated issue, and one we’ll continue to monitor.
Customer Service
Life’s Abundance, Inc
(877)387-4564
support
MAY 07, 2013 | 07:01PM EDT
Original message
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MESSAGE:
I would be interested in knowing your thoughts about GMO labeling if it passes the House & Senate.
I’ve been using your pet food for a fair amount of time and would think that you would jump on GMO labeling.
Thank you for your time
Kent Petersime
For your reference this is Case #: 98530 [[fe48d321b88baf5568c0c01a2b714a23da910f06-112412333]]
dmiller
May 24, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Seems to me it is more an issue of it being difficult to do. If you look at a list of all human food containing GMO ingredients, you might feel it is hopeless to try. Corn is so prevalent in our food one way or another and with 90% being GMO,,,and if you think corn is an issue, look at the expected issues if round up ready alfalfa is released.