Not only does the USDA issue labels for certified organic and anti-biotic free labels for foods you buy at the supermarket, according to NPR, the agency will now issue one as part of a voluntary voluntary non-GMO labeling program. This despite the fact that there is already a privately administered non-binding certification of non-GMO food and products.

In fairness, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said that genetically modified foods are safe. However, he announced in a letter to USDA staff at the beginning of May that the agency’s Agricultural Marketing Service is working on a verification program for food products that do not genetically modified ingredients. Environmentalist and consumer groups have been pushing for mandatory labeling of GMO foods for years but this voluntary certification program would do just as much harm as a mandatory one.

Labeling of GMO products is another tool environmentalists use to attack our food supply. By labeling foods that do not contain genetically modified ingredients (voluntarily or not) it will scare consumers into not buying GMO foods since (despite what people like Secretary Vilsack says) customers will be lead to believe the government is telling customers GMO foods are not safe. Consequently, not only does it sanction the lies environmentalists have told about GMO’s but people will end up settling for lower quality products or not buy groceries which affects their long-term health.