In many European countries, some food producers and distributors, especially in the dairy industry, require that the supplied products be shown not to contain or be made from components that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
In connection with the European legislation and harmonized legislation of the Czech Republic, the Association for Feed and Commodities (SKK), an association with companies producing agricultural commodities and feed, has developed the "Non GMO" Standard, which has the aim to ensure standard principles and documentary proof for food and feed producers, transporters reassuring consumers that genetic modification was not used in the production of food for human consumption throughout the whole food production supply chain.
The "Bez GMO” Standard is a entirely Czech voluntary standard and its content is compatible with foreign standards. The “Bez GMO” (Non-GMO) Standard is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and approved by the relevant section in the EU. The Czech National "Bez GMO " Standard specifies principles and conditions for ensuring such labelled products and the way of verification that genetically modified products have not been used at any stage of production of such food (planting of agricultural commodities, feeding of livestock, food additives) and that the management system in each specific stage of the supply chain ensures that the risk of contamination by raw materials or products with genetically modified organisms is minimized.
Audits and certification according to the "Bez GMO " Standard takes place throughout the chain, from the production of used seeds, cultivation of cereals, oilseeds and other raw materials, production of compound feed, transport, processing of food raw materials, processing of individual food products. The requirements of the Standard also apply to traders and carriers who handle raw materials and products.
Certified organizations are regularly subject to independent audits by the recognised certification bodies. Supervision over the certification of the "Bez GO " Standard is performed by the Association for Feed and Commodities (SKK) by the Integrity audits.
The “Bez GMO” Standard is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and ÚKZÚZ (The Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture).