Bryant Madden | July 11th, 2016
Food Fight, Part 1

The food industry is no stranger to regulation – or, for that matter, fighting regulation. There is little argument that the industry should be subjected to relatively strict regulation compared with other industries. Its products, after all, are ingested by humans. But the degree to which its products should be regulated is inherently subjective and often based on controversial or incomplete science (is it sugar, fat, or carbs that are bad for us this week?).
No topic has demonstrated food™’s regulatory reality better in recent years than genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Celebrated by the food scientists and reviled by environmental and food safety activists, GMOs are the latest, greatest thorn in the food industry™’s side.
The key issue concerns labeling. An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the industry should be required to label foods that are genetically modified. And lawmakers have responded in kind. Various states – and now the federal government – have either drafted or enacted legislation that would require companies to specifically label whether a food is, or is not, genetically modified.
Activists and organizations in favor of labeling claim it™’s as simple as printing new labels. So why not just do it? In fact, the most prominent pro-GMO labeling organization is called “Just Label It.†Meanwhile, the food industry – citing the cost of monitoring, testing, documenting, and labeling products – has spent millions fighting the legislation in Washington and state capitals across the country.
The actual burden of mandatory labeling can be debated ad nauseam. Studies funded by organizations on either side of the debate have produced figures so wildly disparate that a consensus estimate is unlikely to ever emerge. But the cost – and thus, whether or not label legislation is a reasonable burden – is not the important question.
The real question is: why does the food industry have to fight this battle at all? After all, 88 percent of scientists (and rising) believe that GMOs are perfectly safe for human consumption.
The reality is that, for better or worse, lawmakers are not responding to expert concerns, they are responding to (misinformed) public sentiment. In stark contrast with scientific consensus, only one-third of Americans believe GMOs are safe. A full 52 percent believe them to be categorically unsafe.
The food industry is losing – and has nearly lost – the battle of public perception to a smaller, but more vocal, opponent. Google searches, for instance, of “GMOs†or “GMO safety†are dominated by pro-labeling organizations such as GMO Free USA and The Non-GMO Project. Despite the scientific evidence, pro-labeling organizations have stoked enough fear in the mind of the public to drive legislative action. Having missed its initial window with the public, the industry is now playing catch up by spending millions to directly lobby lawmakers. Compounding the problem, behind-the-scenes lobbying only reinforces the narrative that there is something to hide when it comes to GMO safety.
So what can be done? Well, for one, industry organizations with a dog in the fight need to hit the reset button and begin a concerted effort to inform the public about GMO safety. If public perception is not corrected, lobbying will be hopeless against the rising tide of legislation.
The particularly savvy – or perhaps jaded – reader might be saying, “Even if the legislation becomes law, companies will simply comply with the regulations and pass on the cost to consumers.†And that is very true. Except most mandatory labeling requirements omit organic foods, giving companies that produce exclusively organic foods a huge competitive advantage.
So are organic food companies simply the fortuitous beneficiary of grassroots activism or is there something more at play? Here™’s a hint: the head of the aforementioned Just Label It campaign, Gary Hirshberg, also happens to be the co-founder and chairman of Stonyfield Farm, a popular organic yogurt brand.
I’ll explore more in Part 2.
Bryant Madden | July 11th, 2016
Food Fight, Part 1

The food industry is no stranger to regulation – or, for that matter, fighting regulation. There is little argument that the industry should be subjected to relatively strict regulation compared with other industries. Its products, after all, are ingested by humans. But the degree to which its products should be regulated is inherently subjective and often based on controversial or incomplete science (is it sugar, fat, or carbs that are bad for us this week?).
No topic has demonstrated food™’s regulatory reality better in recent years than genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Celebrated by the food scientists and reviled by environmental and food safety activists, GMOs are the latest, greatest thorn in the food industry™’s side.
The key issue concerns labeling. An overwhelming majority of Americans believe the industry should be required to label foods that are genetically modified. And lawmakers have responded in kind. Various states – and now the federal government – have either drafted or enacted legislation that would require companies to specifically label whether a food is, or is not, genetically modified.
Activists and organizations in favor of labeling claim it™’s as simple as printing new labels. So why not just do it? In fact, the most prominent pro-GMO labeling organization is called “Just Label It.†Meanwhile, the food industry – citing the cost of monitoring, testing, documenting, and labeling products – has spent millions fighting the legislation in Washington and state capitals across the country.
The actual burden of mandatory labeling can be debated ad nauseam. Studies funded by organizations on either side of the debate have produced figures so wildly disparate that a consensus estimate is unlikely to ever emerge. But the cost – and thus, whether or not label legislation is a reasonable burden – is not the important question.
The real question is: why does the food industry have to fight this battle at all? After all, 88 percent of scientists (and rising) believe that GMOs are perfectly safe for human consumption.
The reality is that, for better or worse, lawmakers are not responding to expert concerns, they are responding to (misinformed) public sentiment. In stark contrast with scientific consensus, only one-third of Americans believe GMOs are safe. A full 52 percent believe them to be categorically unsafe.
The food industry is losing – and has nearly lost – the battle of public perception to a smaller, but more vocal, opponent. Google searches, for instance, of “GMOs†or “GMO safety†are dominated by pro-labeling organizations such as GMO Free USA and The Non-GMO Project. Despite the scientific evidence, pro-labeling organizations have stoked enough fear in the mind of the public to drive legislative action. Having missed its initial window with the public, the industry is now playing catch up by spending millions to directly lobby lawmakers. Compounding the problem, behind-the-scenes lobbying only reinforces the narrative that there is something to hide when it comes to GMO safety.
So what can be done? Well, for one, industry organizations with a dog in the fight need to hit the reset button and begin a concerted effort to inform the public about GMO safety. If public perception is not corrected, lobbying will be hopeless against the rising tide of legislation.
The particularly savvy – or perhaps jaded – reader might be saying, “Even if the legislation becomes law, companies will simply comply with the regulations and pass on the cost to consumers.†And that is very true. Except most mandatory labeling requirements omit organic foods, giving companies that produce exclusively organic foods a huge competitive advantage.
So are organic food companies simply the fortuitous beneficiary of grassroots activism or is there something more at play? Here™’s a hint: the head of the aforementioned Just Label It campaign, Gary Hirshberg, also happens to be the co-founder and chairman of Stonyfield Farm, a popular organic yogurt brand.
I’ll explore more in Part 2.
- Brand
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- Here We Come
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- Public Perception & the Biden Transition
- WATCH: Reputation Management with PRSA
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Why Non-Profits are so Vulnerable to Crisis Risk
- The Threat to Free Markets
- What Happens When Nonprofits Get Caught In The Klieg Lights?
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Communications
- “Crooked Dominion Machines,” Impeachments, Insurrections & The First 100 Days
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- Here We Come
- The Ministry of Common Sense
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- What Happens Next?
- CSR & Sustainability
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Public Perception & the Biden Transition
- WATCH: Reputation Management with PRSA
- Company News
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- Here We Come
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- What’s a Director to Do?
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with BCG
- A New Look
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- LEVICK Announces Partnership with Jipyong
- Speaking to In-House Counsel
- Childhood Lessons
- LEVICK Announces New Webinar Series with Turbine Labs
- Crisis
- “Crooked Dominion Machines,” Impeachments, Insurrections & The First 100 Days
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- 3 Tech Lessons Businesses Must Learn From COVID-19
- Trump’s pardons undercut a decade of foreign lobbying law enforcement. What now?
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- What to expect as the clock approaches midnight
- How to Stop the Madness
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Finance
- Here We Come
- The Threat to Free Markets
- Advisory & Insurance Services
- WATCH: Revolutionizing Litigation Finance
- Litigation Finance: Revolutionizing Litigation
- Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Event: Consumer-Focused Solutions for Financial Health
- Sports: Power and Money in a New Age of Social Justice
- The Balancing Act: The Role of Whistleblowers in American Commerce and Government
- The Evolving and More Powerful FARA
- FCPA & Compliance in a Time of Uncertainty
- Shareholders vs. Stakeholders: Is the Paradigm Shifting?
- Guest Column
- Guest Blog: The Mainstream Media Gets an A for Intellectual Arrogance, an F for Journalism
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- Buckle up Directors: Cybersecurity Risk and Bankruptcy Risk Are Not Mutually Exclusive
- South Africa: The Slow Decline of the ANC
- Why CSR Fails and How to Fix It
- What to Expect Following the European Elections?
- Buhari Inaugurated. What Now for Nigeria?
- Marketing- It’s Up To You…
- Crisis Management lessons from the air-crash investigation model
- The Future of War
- Health
- Reflections on a Turbulent Year: 2020
- Food Issues & the Biden Administration
- Covid-19: The Pandemic that Never Should Have Happened
- Pharma’s Post-Pandemic Policy Outlook
- Keeping Hope Alive
- Real Herd Immunity
- The Fiction of College Sports Amateurism
- Mac Summit: Crisis Communications in a Post-Covid, Post-Election World
- Travel Industry Communications in the Age of Covid-19
- Track of Time
- Is C-19 Taking Women Lawyers’ Careers Back to the 1950s?
- Post-Pandemic PR Strategy
- In Memoriam
- Snider’s Super Foods: Locally World Famous
- Speak Truth With Love, Not Anger
- In Memoriam: Stephen Susman
- Letter to the Movement
- John Lewis’ Life Bridged the Best of America
- Albert Krieger, 1923-2020
- In Memoriam of Marcia Horowitz
- Jim Lehrer Passes Away
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Harold Burson Passes Away
- Interviews
- CommPRO: Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s Life & Legacy
- Richard Levick on “My Wakeup Call”
- Primerus Webinar: Into the Wind
- The Future of Baseball Post-Pandemic
- Webinar: The End of Brand Neutrality
- Thought Leadership & Organic Growth
- Man & Superman
- LEVICK Announces New Webinar Series with Turbine Labs
- Navigating Coronavirus Challenges in the Insurance Industry
- VIDEO: How to Anticipate & Avoid a Crisis
- What’s Next? with Julie Chase
- What’s Next?: California Electoral Behavior
- Law Firms
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Latest Top Class Actions
- Trust on Trial: How Communicators Succeed in a World No Longer Trusted
- The Latest Settlements, Class actions, Investigations & More
- Litigation
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- Why Should I Apologize? Lawyers vs. Communicators
- A Conversation with Abbe Lowell
- Leveraging Legal Expertise in Communications
- You Took a PPP Loan. Now Get Ready to Talk About It.
- Beyond Black Swan: Positioning the law firm for the new normal
- A Salute to Personal Courage and the Rule of Law
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- When a client becomes a law firm’s PR nightmare
- The General Counsel’s Dilemma
- WATCH: Revolutionizing Litigation Finance
- Litigation Finance: Revolutionizing Litigation
- Our Work
- Recent Awards & Recognition
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- Crisis Communications & The Age of Cancel Culture
- Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Staying Ahead of the Crisis
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- Infographic: Judgment Free Zone
- Infographic: Barriers to Entry
- Infographic: History Meter
- Assistance for Law Firms Engaged in Pro Bono
- Webinar: The End of Brand Neutrality
- Public Affairs
- “Crooked Dominion Machines,” Impeachments, Insurrections & The First 100 Days
- Trump’s pardons undercut a decade of foreign lobbying law enforcement. What now?
- Fighting for the Rule of Law with Marshall Harris
- The Fifth Estate: A Business Guide for Surviving “The Troubles”
- What to expect as the clock approaches midnight
- How to Stop the Madness
- Corporate Revolt Over Campaign Donations Shakes Political World
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- Food Issues & the Biden Administration
- The Cost of Government Regulation and the Threat to Free Enterprise
- Risk
- Ingredients of Decency
- ESG Performance and Credit Markets
- The Coronavirus Saga is Just Beginning
- No. 1 Risk of the Decade
- The Risk Evolution of Corporate Risk
- Extend Risk Management Reach
- Collective Action
- Risk Identifying Software
- The New Risk of Doing Nothing
- Political Unrest In Hong Kong
- High-Profile Kidnaps in African National Parks
- Cyber Resilience
- Social
- The Ministry of Common Sense
- How to Stop the Madness
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- No ‘justice’ in rep’s vote
- A Call for Orderly & Peaceful Transition of Power
- Recovering from the Greatest Sacrifice
- CSR & Sustainability
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Dropping the Mic
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- Crisis, Covid, DEI & the Election
- MLK’s Memphis Address
- Technology
- 3 Tech Lessons Businesses Must Learn From COVID-19
- Constella Intelligence Announces Hunter for Improved Investigation Capability
- Cyber Risk Institute Expands Its Profile
- Digital Politics: The Future of Voting Technology
- Ethics in Electronics
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- A First Look at the Google Antitrust Suit
- The Pause
- Cybersecurity Incidents of the Summer
- The Changing Digital Economy and Cyber Risks
- The Future of U.S. Manufacturing
- Tech CEO Summer Superbowl hearing
- This Week
- A Remembrance of Tommy Raskin
- A New Year’s Resolution
- Over the River and Through The Woods
- Dropping the Mic
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
- The Cyber Bad Guys Are Getting Worse
- What We Hear
- Track of Time
- Video: Conversations with American Legends
- Conversations with American Legends
- A New Era of Insurance Marketing
- American Legend