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Retailers play an important role in educating consumers. GMOs are at the top of the list of what people want to know about.

Some joke that the acronym GMO, short for genetically modified ingredients, actually stands for God Move Over. The topic is anything but a laughing matter to the growing number of people who believe products containing GMO ingredients should be labeled as such.

Genetically modified foods have been on the scene for more than a quarter of a century. Why the push for labeling now? While there are a number of reasons, the simple one-word answer offered by industry observers is-consumers. Today’s shoppers are holding suppliers to the highest standards possible and are insisting on transparency, truth and trust in their food system.

One of the challenges with labeling is that GMOs are infused into nearly everything sold in the U.S., including more than three-quarters of all packaged foods. What is more, 86% of corn, 90% of canola, 93% of soy and cotton grown in the U.S. are GMO-based. Currently, the U.S. and Canada do not require labeling of genetically engineered foods, but more than 40 other countries including Australia, Japan and all European Union nations do. In addition to labeling, many of these countries additionally impose significant restrictions or bans on GMOs.

Another challenge facing the industry is that the GMO discussion is not limited to just crops and packaged foods. For instance, AquaBounty Technologies, based in Maynard, Mass., is asking the FDA to approve a salmon that they have genetically engineered to grow roughly twice as fast as typical salmon.