Though the question of GMO (genetically modified organism) food safety is a topic of hot debate, there continues to be growing demand from the Canadian public for food labelling, allowing the consumer to make informed choices about what they eat.
According to a 2015 Ipsos Reid Poll, 88 percent of Canadians believe that our government should make GMO labelling mandatory. The Canadian government has yet to comply, but some food manufacturers are taking the lead anyway.
Bothwell Cheese, an award-winning cheese producer located in New Bothwell, is the first Canadian cheese manufacturer to receive Non-GMO Project status.
“We are excited to kick off the launch of our Non-GMO Project verified product line with two delicious flavours of the cheddar we know Canadians love: medium white cheddar and medium coloured cheddar,” says Mike Raftis, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Bothwell Cheese. “We have a strong tradition of meeting the needs of Canadians by offering a variety of different product options to choose from, including traditional, flavoured, kosher, and vegetarian-friendly cheeses. We also believe in transparency in our food supply and this is one way for us to offer consumers a product they’ve been asking for.”
According to Raftis, the Non-GMO Project is the fastest growing label in the natural products industry, representing $19.2 billion in annual sales and more than 39,000 verified products. The Non-GMO Project verified seal is the most trusted non-GMO label among consumers.
“It’s important for people to know that the Non-GMO Project verified seal is not a GMO-free claim,” says Raftis. “Instead, it provides an assurance that a product and its ingredients have completed comprehensive third-party testing to verify that they have a GMO presence below 0.9 percent. For our products, we are verifying that the cheese is made with milk from dairy cows fed a diet of non-GMO crops.”
Bothwell Cheese’s compliance with this program requires adherence to strict regulations. Milk will be sourced from Non-GMO Project verified farms in Manitoba, transporting it directly to their plant and placing it into silos specially designated for verified products only. Production is carefully controlled and monitored in order to meet the approval of Non-GMO Project technical administrators who evaluate the ingredients, milk segregation, and testing methods. Farms falling under these criteria are monitored in much the same manner, testing crops at harvest time and testing again upon delivery to its end destination.
“We have been making natural cheese for 80 years, becoming one of Canada’s largest independent cheesemakers through our commitment to producing a diverse portfolio of high-quality cheese products made from only 100 percent fresh local milk and responding quickly to meet the needs of our customers,” says Raftis. “It is very challenging for cheese manufacturers to produce a portfolio as diverse as ours, and we are very proud to have such an experienced team and commitment to provide Canadians with wholesome options.”
Raftis adds that the launch of their new product line in no way represents the validity of claims made for or against GMO safety. Bothwell Cheese’s regular products are sourced from the milk of Canadian dairy cattle fed genetically modified feed approved by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
“Bothwell Cheese and dairy farmers of Manitoba have a shared interest in ensuring the long-term sustainability of our industry,” says Raftis. “Product development and innovation is a key part of that.”
Bothwell Cheese is projecting a mid-summer launch for their new product line.
