One of the nation's most prominent organic product companies has publicly terminated its membership in the Organic Trade Association, accusing the group of selling out by supporting a law requiring labels on foods containing genetically modified organisms.

Organic soap and body care product manufacturer Dr. Bronner issued a statement Monday announcing its resignation from OTA because of "the association's betrayal of the consumer-led GMO labeling movement, and general drift away from the core principles that drive the organic movement."

The company is only one of several thousand organic businesses that make up OTA's membership, but it is also one of the few organic product manufacturers that has found mainstream success, with its products sold in grocery and retail stores across the U.S.

At issue is OTA's support of new federal law requiring food manufacturers to label foods with GMOs. Many organic proponents opposed the law because they believe it did not go far enough. For example, instead of slapping a GMO label on their products, food manufacturers can instead make that information available only if a consumer scans a QR code on the packaging with a smartphone.

The federal law also supersedes more restrictive state labeling laws like the one in place in Vermont. The Grocery Manufacturers Association and other food industry groups had sued to overturn the Vermont law, but the state agreed to drop its opposition to the lawsuit after the federal labeling requirement was signed into law in July.

The federal law "was made possible in large part by what I and other movement leaders see clearly as the Organic Trade Association's betrayal of the movement to mandate labeling of GMOs in America, forever preempting Vermont and all other states from mandating disclosure of GMOs on packaging," Dr. Bronner's Cosmic Engagement Officer (i.e. CEO) David Bronner wrote in an opinion column published in the Huffington Post. http://prn.to/2d5MaIm

OTA responded to Dr. Bronner's allegations in a statement, saying the company's annoucement "to reconnect and recommit to organic is a welcome outcome of the protracted labeling debate."

"We agree that organic is non-GMO and so much more," OTA said. "It's for these principles that the Organic Trade Association fought hard in the GMO labeling debate and will continue to do as the law is rolled out by the Department of Agriculture. OTA will remain the best positioned organization to advance its members' organic priorities nationally."

While the association supported the labeling law, the group acknowledged the legislation had flaws, at least from the organic industry's point of view. In a Sept. 16 letter to members, the group pledged to continue to urge "a simple and clear statement of GMO content" be printed on package labels. http://bit.ly/2cmFQ2q

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