Silver Hills Bakery: Canadian Organic Bakery Leads Non-GMO Food Movement With Mandatory GMO Testing of All Wheat

ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - June 19, 2013) -

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Genetically engineered wheat, or GMO (genetically modified organism) wheat, has never been approved by governing bodies to be sold commercially in either Canada or the US but, in May 2013, a genetically engineered strain of wheat was found contaminating a wheat field in Oregon.

The news sent a shockwave through the international agricultural community as media outlets worldwide sounded the alarm, triggering sudden reactions from key export partners like Japan, South Korea and the EU. Japan has completely stopped importing white wheat from the Pacific Northwest since the news broke, while South Korea and the EU have implemented stricter, more involved, testing policies.

The reviews and inquiries surrounding the Oregon discovery revealed two surprising truths: 1) uncontained genetically engineered crop testing is widespread throughout the US, and 2) current testing methods don't restrict the potential of cross-contamination with neighboring non-GMO crops. These findings have profound implications on consumers and organic bakeries in North America.

Although using government-approved GMO ingredients (especially sugars and oils) is widespread in the bread industry, Silver Hills Bakery has always used non-GMO ingredients. As a Non-GMO Project Verified Member, Silver Hills underwent - and successfully passed - an initial GMO audit, and their facilities and products are regularly inspected to ensure all ingredients comply with non-GMO standards. Wheat, however, has previously not been subject to especially stringent testing because no GMO strains have ever been approved for production or sale in North America.

Now, as regulating bodies, scientists and wheat producers point to the developing case in Oregon, Silver Hills has chosen to fortify their position as a Non-GMO Project Verified Member by putting all wheat used in their bakery through rigorous third-party testing to further assure their customers that their bread is completely free from GMO contamination. Every single lot of wheat they receive is tested for both quality and genetic composition to ensure that no contamination has occurred.

"At Silver Hills, we believe that everyone has a right to know what's in their food and to choose whether or not to eat food that has been genetically engineered," says Stan Smith, President of Silver Hills Bakery. "As a company, we're committed to non-GMO ingredients because we believe food was created to be grown, eaten and enjoyed naturally without any fear of consuming a genetically compromised food source."

Silver Hills Bakery is an innovator in Canada's bread industry, producing bread products that have been crafted from organic, non-genetically modified (non-GMO) sprouted whole grains. Their story began in 1989 at the Silver Hills Guest House, a wellness resort tucked away in the beautiful and serene Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. It was out of a desire to inspire healthier living through healthier choices that Silver Hills Bakery was born.

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