Posted October 6, 2014
Colorado
voters have rejected a measure requiring the labeling of genetically modified
organisms (GMO) as a food ingredient, according to a Yahoo News article by
Carey Gilliam available here.
NPR also published an article available here,
Wall Street Journal here,
and Reuters here.
A similar
measure in Oregon is also headed for defeat.
Corporate
food and agriculture groups have invested more than $36 million into anti-labeling
campaigns between the two states. Previous measures from 2012 in California and
Washington were defeated by this tactic.
Colorado
voters rejected the labeling initiative, with 66 percent voting against, and 34
percent in favor, according to NPR.
In Oregon,
fewer 51 percent were against the measure. Oregon also invested more money into political advertisements than Colorado.
Polling prior to the GMO labeling vote in Colorado, a
Suffolk University poll found that only 29 percent of registered voters
favored the measure, while 49 percent were opposed. A
Denver Post poll
revealed that 59 percent were opposed to GMO labeling in Colorado, while 34
percent in favor.
Labeling foods as “genetically engineered” is more likely to
discourage certain consumers from purchasing the product. Food companies are also
worried about the precedent it would set. If states require information
identifying GMO ingredients, it could result in other label requirements, such
as identifying a product’s greenhouse-gas footprint, according to The
Wall Street Journal.
Connecticut
and Maine have passed GMO labeling laws, but the law in both states is not
in effect until other states pass labeling bills. Vermont passed a mandatory
labeling law that will go into effect in 2016, but opponents have sued to block
the law, according to Reuters.
For more information on the GMO labeling, the National
Agricultural Law Center is hosting a webinar and information is available on
the website here.
For more information on food labeling, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
