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By Ashley Lukens, Center for Food Safety – November 4, 2025

We never gave up. 
We never backed down. 
And now — we won. 

After decades of legal battles, public mobilization, and relentless persistence, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) just secured a landmark federal court victory for your right to know what’s in your food. 

Here’s what happened — and why this matters to every single person who eats. 

 The fight began decades ago 

Back in the early 2000s, CFS led the first legal actions demanding that genetically engineered (GE or GMO) foods be labeled — because the public deserves transparency about what they’re feeding their families. When the federal government refused to act, we went state by state. 

We wrote ballot initiatives to require labeling in states and then helped draft and defend the first state GMO labeling laws in Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut. The chemical and biotech industries spent millions to stop us — and we beat them. Those state laws forced Congress to finally act, and in 2016, the U.S. passed its first federal GMO labeling law. 

But when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wrote the rules to implement that law, industry lobbyists got their way. 

 The USDA tried to hide GMOs again 

The Trump-era USDA rule was designed to confuse, not inform. 

• They allowed “highly refined” GMO foods— like corn syrup, soy oil, and soda ingredients — to go unlabeled, even though they are made from genetically engineered crops.
• They permitted companies to replace plain-language labels with QR codes, forcing shoppers to scan packages with a smartphone just to find out if their food contained GMOs.

That’s not transparency. That’s deception. 

So, in 2020, we sued USDA, representing a broad coalition of nonprofits and organic retailers — from Natural Grocers to PCC Community Markets — to hold the agency accountable. 

 Step by step, we fought back — and we won 

• In 2022, a federal court agreed with us that QR-code-only labeling was unlawful and discriminatory because it denied access to millions of Americans.
• But the court didn’t go far enough — it let the loopholes stand and left QR-code labels on shelves.
• We appealed.
• And this week, the Court of Appeals struck down USDA’s rule entirely, ordering the agency to rewrite it from scratch.

The court held that: 
 USDA’s “highly refined” loophole is illegal — USDA must issue a new rule to address GMO oils and processed ingredients. 
 QR-code-only labeling is invalid — USDA must add additional clear, on-package disclosure accessible to everyone. 
 The old rule is null and void and USDA must redo a new rule consistent with the court’s opinion. 

 Why this victory matters 

This isn’t just about what’s on a label — it’s about corporate accountability and government integrity. 

The vast majority of GMO crops in the U.S. are engineered to withstand massive doses of pesticides like glyphosate, 2,4-D, and dicamba. These chemicals harm pollinators, contaminate water, and threaten rural communities. 

Without clear labeling, consumers are left in the dark about how their food is produced and what it supports. 

This win shines a light on that system. It means that every American — regardless of income, race, or access to technology — has the basic right to know what they’re buying and eating. 

 The power of persistence 

This victory didn’t happen overnight. It took: 

• 25+ years of policy, scientific, and legal advocacy
• Millions of public comments
• Groundbreaking and successful court battles across three administrations
• Tens of thousands of CFS members like you, standing strong through every setback

We fought Republican administrations. 
We fought Democratic administrations. 
We fought industry lobbyists and billion-dollar corporations. 

And through it all — we never gave up. 

 But the fight isn’t over 

The court sent the rule back to USDA. Now the agency must rewrite it — and you can be sure industry will do everything it can to weaken it again. 

That’s why we need your support right now.

Your donation ensures that we stay in this fight — in the courts, in the media, and in the halls of power — until transparent, honest food labeling is the law of the land. 

This is what persistence looks like. 
This is what people power can do.