Colorado voters have decisively rejected Proposition 105, and Oregon voters have chosen to reject Measure 92, the food labeling initiatives on the states’ Nov. 4 ballots.
The measures would have created state-only food labeling regulations for certain foods made with genetically modified (GMO) ingredients. The Oregon initiative lost by a narrow margin, 51% to 49%, but the Colorado measure was soundly defeated by a margin of 67% to 33%.
Just like the tens of millions of voters in California in 2012 and Washington State in 2013, Colorado and Oregon voters saw the flaws in the proposals, according to a statement from Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
Greenwood says the measures would have created more state bureaucracy, imposed new costs and burdens on local farmers and businesses, and increased food prices for hard-working families.
While the biotech industry is committed to providing information about how food is grown, that information needs to be conveyed in an accurate and fact-based way to consumers. Greenwood said Colorado and Oregon voters clearly believe the initiatives failed in this regard.
“Modern farming and biotechnology has enabled farmers to grow more food on less land with fewer pesticide applications, less water and reduced on-farm fuel use,” he said.
Greenwood continued: “The GMO labeling discussion deserves a national solution. We will continue to explore policies that provide consumers with information about the foods we eat. In the meantime, non-GMO choices exist in the marketplace, and online resources, such as the GMO Answers website, can answer questions about technology and food production.”
Source: Biotechnology Industry Organization news release