What's next for the GMO-Free Project?

October’s month-long Non-GMO campaign was a huge success, says the campaign’s organizers, the GMO-free Project. According to the organization, more than 1,000 retailers participated in the event and nearly 600 products were verified as GMO-free. Plus, the annual sales of Non-GMO Project Verified products have hit a whopping $1 billion. Wow!

It’ll be an entire year before the next Non-GMO Month, but the GMO-Free Project is already working on new projects, including their “Just Label It!” campaign, petitioning for mandatory labelling of foods that contain genetically modified ingredients. Currently, the only way to tell for sure if a product contains no GMO ingredients by looking at the packaging is by choosing certified organic products, or by choosing products with a Non-GMO Project Verified label. The Non-GMO Project also promises tips, tricks, and recipes for the holiday season.

The long-term effects of genetically engineered foods are not well understood but GMO products continue to exist unlabelled on Canadian shelves, with more being developed. Common genetically modified ingredients include corn, canola, soy, and cottonseed.

However, with increased education and awareness—through events like the Non-GMO Month—the growing pushback against GMOs is gaining momentum.