Smucker’s Called on to Produce Non-GMO and Organic Peanut Butter and Jelly and Stop Jamming Americans Full of GMOs: Urged to Follow Lead of Hershey’s, Campbell’s, General Mills, Gerber and Other Iconic American Brands.
WASHINGTON, D.C.//AUGUST 25, 2016 – Today, Green America’s GMO Inside campaign launched a major push – “Smucker’s: Make PB&J Great Again” – to get The J.M. Smucker Company, America’s iconic producer of Smucker’s jams, jellies, and Jif peanut butter, to phase out the use of genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs) and transition towards organic products.
The new campaign website (http://www.gmoinside.org/smuckers) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GmoInside) call on Smucker’s to stop sourcing GMO ingredients for their products, and to use a third-party verifier to ensure that fruit spreads and peanut butters produced by Smucker’s are all non-GMO.
The new push comes as Smucker’s this week posted a 7 percent decline in net revenue, and non-GMO products continue to see strong growth. Polls show that half of all Americans seek to avoid GMOs.
“Millions of people enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” said Michael Stein, Food Campaign Manager at Green America. “Yet they may unwittingly be consuming GMOs produced with toxic inputs. Smucker’s should be clearly labeling products that contain GMOs to provide the transparency demanded by American consumers. As Americans increasingly seek out organic and non-GMO products, Smucker’s must transition away from GMOs and increase organic offerings. Smucker’s can’t afford to alienate more than half of its customers.”
The J.M. Smucker Company has been working hard to keep consumers in the dark about GMOs in food products. The company spent over $1 million to fight against various state and federal mandatory GMO labeling initiatives.
Green America’s GMO Inside campaign has called out The J.M. Smucker Company in the past for the company’s funding of opposition to GMO labeling ballot initiatives. With the passage of the Dark Act, a federally mandated GMO labeling bill, GMO Inside is now working hard to pressure Smucker’s to remove GMOs from its products, seek third party non-GMO verification, and transition to more organic and sustainable products. Additionally, GMO Inside is pushing Smucker’s for clear on-package GMO labeling until the company can transition away from GMOs.
“The days when a global company like Smucker’s can hide GMOs from the customer are over. Consumers demand clean and safe non-GMO products,” said GMO Inside Co-Chair John W. Roulac. “It is time for Smucker’s to commit to transparency, and sourcing the highest quality organic ingredients for its customers.”
Multinational food companies like Smucker’s are increasingly hearing the demands from consumers for clear on-package GMO labeling, and to transition to sustainable non-GMO organic ingredients in their foods. Companies including General Mills, Hershey’s, Campbell’s, and Gerber have taken steps to remove GMOs from products as a result. Green America will continue to pressure Smucker’s to remove GMOs, provide clear on-package labeling of genetically engineered ingredients, and transition towards producing more certified organic and non-GMO verified products.
ABOUT GREEN AMERICA
Green America is the nation’s leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today’s social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Natalie Watson, (703) 276-3256, or nwatson@hastingsgroup.com.
