For a variety of reasons, many consumers in the U.S. prefer not to eat GE food. Consumers are concerned about the religious, ethical, environmental, economic and health implications of GE foods.
Surveys show widespread support for mandatory labeling.
The demand for labeling of GE food is consistent with Americans' growing concern about food safety. Such concerns have been highlighted by the boom in organic food sales and the 275,000 public comments that were sent to the USDA regarding the Agency's proposed organic standards last year. Strong support for labeling of GE foods exists among the major trading partners of the United States, including the European Union and Japan. The EU presently requires all GE corn and soy products to be labeled and Japan plans to have a labeling scheme in place by next spring. Both Australia and New Zealand are also drafting labeling legislation.