WASHINGTON – Early last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed how companies should alert consumers to the presence of genetically modified (GMO) ingredients in products, with a major change being the substitution of “bioengineered food” for GMO.

Now the agency has released an informational webinar that addresses the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard Overview. Retailers with private label products should find the free, recorded webinar, which can be viewed here, especially beneficial. Additional information on the bioengineered food disclosure and labeling can be found here. The comment period has closed for this rule.

The agency has until July 29 to complete the rule and provide companies with a mandatory national standard. Issues the agency still has to hammer out include what “found in nature” means and how much GMO in a food product will require labeling.

The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law charges the agency with developing a national mandatory system for disclosing the presence of bioengineered material. USDA has established a working group to develop a timeline for rulemaking and ensure an open and transparent process for effectively establishing this new program, which will increase consumer confidence and understanding of the foods they buy, and help food companies and farmers avoid uncertainty.