Caring Causes: GMO Inside

GMO Inside, a coalition dedicated to advancing the right of consumers to know whether or not foods are genetically engineered, today announced that it is shining the light on the nation’s largest breakfast cereal companies: Kellogg’s and General Mills.  GMO Inside is calling on these companies, who claim to be wholesome and healthy, to make a Fresh Start and label or remove the ingredients in their products that have been genetically engineered. In cereals, this could apply to major ingredients such as corn, soy, and added sugars.

Throughout January, and available at, GMO Inside is calling on consumers to sign petitions, phone the companies to request non-GMO products, and take action on the Facebook profiles of each company and their many brands. General Mills is the maker of iconic cereals such as Cheerios, Chex, Kix, and Lucky Charms, as well as the owner of Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Hamburger Helper. Kellogg’s manufactures Corn Flakes, POPS, Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, and Special K, and owns MorningStar Farms, Pop Tarts, and Keebler, to name just a few.

GMO Inside is also urging Kellogg’s and General Mills to pledge not to fund any opposition to I-522, the Washington State ballot initiative for GMO labeling, which will be up for a vote in November 2013—or any other initiatives and legislation emerging in states around the country. 

To date, more than 5,000 consumers have taken action with GMO Inside signing a petition to General Mills to remove GMOs from its bestselling Cheerios line of products, and more than 17,000 Facebook fans helped to shut down the company’s Cheerios Facebook app in December 2012.

“We have been completely blown away by the amount of consumer support the GMO issue has created.” said Alisa Gravitz, President of Green America.  “Since Prop 37 was defeated in California in November last year, consumer action has only increased. I am completely inspired by the parents who are standing up against major corporations for the right to know what they are feeding their kids. Kellogg’s and General Mills represent just the beginning of what this coalition is prepared to take on.”

“We're calling on consumers to get a fresh start this year by beginning every day with a healthy breakfast, free of GMO ingredients," said Elizabeth O'Connell, GMO Inside Campaign Director. "Putting Kellogg's and General Mills under our January spotlight is part of GMO Inside's commitment to educate consumers about which products are likely to have GMO ingredients. We'll call attention to new products every month."

GMO Inside believes that everyone has a right to know what’s in their food and to choose foods that are proven safe for themselves, their families, and the environment. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have never been proven safe for consumption, and a growing body of studies is raising concerns around the health effects of eating them. Numerous US physicians now instruct all their patients to avoid genetically modified foods in their diets. GMOs are also increasing the use of toxic herbicides and causing harm to farmers in the US and abroad.

With the Fresh Start action, GMO Inside joins with the work of GMO Free USA, which is calling on Kellogg's to commit to making all of its products with non-GMO ingredients. Both Kellogg's and General Mills sell their iconic products in Europe without GMO ingredients.