Proposal would require genetically modified label
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - Any food in Washington state made from genetically engineered crops would have to be labeled under an initiative submitted Thursday.
The proposal comes two months after California voters rejected a similar ballot measure in a nearly $55 million advertising war that pitted food safety advocates against agricultural and biotechnology giants.
Opponents of food labeling argue it will raise food prices and hurt farmers. Supporters contend that consumers should have a choice of whether or not to eat genetically engineered products, even though the federal government and major science groups say such foods are safe to eat. The supporters promised to take their fight to the Northwest after the California ballot measure failed last fall.
An initiative to the Washington Legislature requires at least 241,153 valid signatures of registered state voters to be certified, though the secretary of state's office suggests at least 320,000 as a buffer for any duplicate or invalid signatures.
On Thursday, initiative sponsors delivered 350,000 signatures inside an ambulance with a sign reading "Label GMO Food" on the side.
Initiative 522 would require food and seeds produced entirely or partly through genetic engineering and sold in Washington to be labeled as such, beginning July 1, 2015. Under the measure, raw foods that are not packaged separately would have to be labeled on the retail shelf.
Supporters say consumers benefit from having more information.
"Yes, you can steer clear of certain items, but unless you know that they're there, how do you know to steer clear of them?" asked Chris McManus, the initiative sponsor and owner of a small advertising firm. "Putting a label on the front of that just informs the consumer a little bit more about what they're buying."
The nation's food labeling system is already built around giving consumers information about health and safety, countered Heather Hansen, executive director of Washington Friends of Farms and Forests.
"We think this is really intended to be a scare tactic, to ultimately scare people away from technology," she said. "And it's not providing any meaningful information."
Once the initiative goes to the Legislature, lawmakers have the option to vote on it, take no action and send it to the November ballot, or recommend an alternative measure that will appear on the ballot with it.
About 50 countries require genetically modified foods to be labeled, but the U.S. isn't one of them. Only Alaska has enacted legislation at the state level, requiring the labeling of genetically engineered fish and shellfish products.
A bill in the Washington Legislature to require food labeling failed to pass out of committee, despite support from a coalition of local wheat farmers who said they feared their export markets will be hurt if genetically modified wheat gains federal approval.
Biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. has announced plans to begin testing genetically modified wheat, though the product is likely a decade or more from being offered commercially.
The proposal comes two months after California voters rejected a similar ballot measure in a nearly $55 million advertising war that pitted food safety advocates against agricultural and biotechnology giants.
Opponents of food labeling argue it will raise food prices and hurt farmers. Supporters contend that consumers should have a choice of whether or not to eat genetically engineered products, even though the federal government and major science groups say such foods are safe to eat. The supporters promised to take their fight to the Northwest after the California ballot measure failed last fall.
An initiative to the Washington Legislature requires at least 241,153 valid signatures of registered state voters to be certified, though the secretary of state's office suggests at least 320,000 as a buffer for any duplicate or invalid signatures.
On Thursday, initiative sponsors delivered 350,000 signatures inside an ambulance with a sign reading "Label GMO Food" on the side.
Initiative 522 would require food and seeds produced entirely or partly through genetic engineering and sold in Washington to be labeled as such, beginning July 1, 2015. Under the measure, raw foods that are not packaged separately would have to be labeled on the retail shelf.
Supporters say consumers benefit from having more information.
"Yes, you can steer clear of certain items, but unless you know that they're there, how do you know to steer clear of them?" asked Chris McManus, the initiative sponsor and owner of a small advertising firm. "Putting a label on the front of that just informs the consumer a little bit more about what they're buying."
The nation's food labeling system is already built around giving consumers information about health and safety, countered Heather Hansen, executive director of Washington Friends of Farms and Forests.
"We think this is really intended to be a scare tactic, to ultimately scare people away from technology," she said. "And it's not providing any meaningful information."
Once the initiative goes to the Legislature, lawmakers have the option to vote on it, take no action and send it to the November ballot, or recommend an alternative measure that will appear on the ballot with it.
About 50 countries require genetically modified foods to be labeled, but the U.S. isn't one of them. Only Alaska has enacted legislation at the state level, requiring the labeling of genetically engineered fish and shellfish products.
A bill in the Washington Legislature to require food labeling failed to pass out of committee, despite support from a coalition of local wheat farmers who said they feared their export markets will be hurt if genetically modified wheat gains federal approval.
Biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. has announced plans to begin testing genetically modified wheat, though the product is likely a decade or more from being offered commercially.
As stated above... "The nation's food labeling system is already built around giving consumers information about health and safety, countered Heather Hansen, executive director of Washington Friends of Farms and Forests." ...
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"We think this is really intended to be a scare tactic, to ultimately scare people away from technology," she said. "And it's not providing any meaningful information."
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Wow really, "and it's not providing any meaningful information?!?! Geez, obviously many people don't do their due dilligence research or they just don't care. Research shows the extreme health effects, risks and cancers this GMO that it is actually producing. I cannot wait until the labeling is in effect it should be way sooner though.
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Just go and google 'Monsanto health facts' and you will see WHY it SHOULD be labeled, period. People need to know the FACTS and why there's been such an advertising war going on it's because monsanto and well known major companies want to HIDE what's actually in their foods because it is such a huge huge problem (((and it's all about the money, if people knew the truth about monsanto then stop buying, these corporations then lose massive profits))), it's a Deadly monster. They don't want people to know their products contain GMO - but almost everyone knows who these major corporation are like general mills, cola and pepsi - just google monsanto and you find everything you need to know, (the truth is coming to light), story after story of real people around the globe who's lives are being destroyed by Monsanto Co., it's very unfortunate and disgusting but Monsanto is deadly and scientific research shows it's causing horrific horrific health problems like cancer, birth defects and so much more the list goes on, and yet they are labeling it safe, it is Not safe at all. Go read about their TOXIC pesticides as well. You are definitely in for a rude awakening.Â
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So maybe if they were truthful and sincerely cared about people's health then we as people, real human beings, would not go to the extreme and supposedly be "scared away from technology" as stated above, that's ridiculous. Many people love technology, I do, but what is Really scary is this Monsanto and not letting the people be informed, - what is our Right. We have the Right to know what we buy and what we eat. Would you feed Your family poison? Obama back in 2007 promised there would immediately be labeling for all GMO foods, here's a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMNNyct9_zg, but yet have to wait and see the outcome of that promise as a whole it's been nearly six years. I HIGHLY suggest you go and google to research yourself the real health facts about monsanto and their GMO's, just beware what you will see, it's pretty upsetting but it's worth knowing.