The National Milk Producers Federation is ramping up its public relations campaign against what it says are misleading and fear-mongering labels on many food products, with GMO labels being a primary concern.

The "Peel Back the Label" campaign was launched in late August "as food manufacturers increasingly turn to fear-based food labeling to prop up profits, and consumers face more confusion in the grocery aisles," NMPF said in a statement. The campaign stresses the need for truth and transparency in food labeling, the group added.

A big concern for NMPF is labeling that declares foods to be free of genetically modified organisms. The group noted that both Hunt's and Florida's Natural has added "GMO-free" labels to their tomato and citrus products even though there currently are no GMO tomatoes or oranges on the market.

More recently, NMPF has taken Tyson Foods to task for adding "no hormones added" labels to its chicken products when it is illegal to sell poultry in the U.S. with added hormones.

"The deceptive labels and fear-based marketing increasingly used by some food manufacturers damages consumer trust and jeopardizes the safe, sustainable farming practices that have enhanced farm productivity over the last 20 years," NMPF President Jim Mulhern said.

The campaign's website is PeelBackTheLabel.org.

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