New Company Formed to Provide Food Certification for Non-GMO, Organic, and BDL

Certification and testing companies, Genetic ID and International Certification Services, have joined forces to provide consumers, governments, and the food industry third-party certification services in three principal areas:

• Non-GMO certification via Genetically Natural, developed over the past two years by Genetic ID and ICS to assist all industry sectors -- seed suppliers, farmers, manufacturers/processors, ingredient manufacturers and handlers/distributors.
• Organic certification through Farm Verified Organic -- a program in operation for more than two decades that has spearheaded international standards for practices and protocols for the organic foods industry.
• Below Detectable Level (BDL) certification for residues (this certification standard will complete test marketing this year.) This process documents agri-chemical reduction working with growers in the testing of soils and crops.

The company will offer dual certification FVO organic and Genetically Natural non-GMO certification -- at a special reduced combined rate, in addition to ``transition to organic'' certification, GMO testing and BDL testing.

This certification service will have special relevance to manufacturers who produce foods with significant concentrations of soy, corn, canola and potatoes or their derivatives, because of the high degree of GMO penetration into raw materials. It is estimated that over 60% of the shelf items in a conventional supermarket would be potential candidates for non-GMO certification.

In addition to a positive or negative result for the presence of GMOs, the certification procedure's testing technology also provides quantitative information, which is critical for exporters and importers to meet regulatory standards and contracts that specify GMO content.

International Certification Services was originally established as Farm Verified Organic, a collaborative effort between several North Dakota organic farmers, an organic trader and an industry expert.

The new company, which merges the operations and personnel of both entities, serves clients around the world with offices in Iowa, North Dakota, Wisconsin, California, Japan and Europe.

For more information contact Genetic ID Inc., 500 North Third Street, Fairfield, Iowa 52556. Tel: 515-472-9979; Fax 515-472-9198. International Certification Services, 5449 45th St. SE, Medina, ND 58467. Tel: 701-486-3578.