In a email to suppliers today, Whole Foods Market executives announced that the company will delay the rollout of its planned GMO Labeling Policy. The natural retailer had previously announced it would require suppliers of food products to “label products that contain genetically modified (GMO) risk ingredients and were not third-party verified as non-GMO or organic.”

The letter was signed by A.C. Gallo, president and COO, Don Clark, the global VP of merchandising and non-perishables and Karen Christensen, the global VP of procurement for perishables,.

The executives cited concerns from suppliers about complying with both Whole Foods’ policy and the USDA’s proposed federal Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard as the reason for the “pause.”

“While the proposed [USDA] rule speaks to requirements for disclosing a bioengineered food, it is silent on requirements for making an on-label non-GMO claim,” the note stated.