Oregon citizens to vote on mandatory GMO labeling this November

Food & Drug Packaging, Sept, 2002

Citizens in bellwether Oregon have added Measure 27 to the state's November ballot. The initiative measure would require labeling of foods and food additives produced and/or sold in Oregon that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Supporters collected more than 101,000 signatures to add the measure to the Oregon ballot. The process required collecting a minimum of 66,786 signatures.

If the measure passes, Oregon will be the first state to require labeling of genetically engineered foods sold in stores and restaurants. Proponents of mandatory labeling say it will send a message to Congress that Americans want to know if the foods they consume are genetically engineered. Labeling of genetically modified foods is already required in some European countries. The group, Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods, has been unsuccessful in getting Congress to pass a federal labeling requirement.

The flip side

Oregon's Measure 27 has strong opposition, including most food manufacturers and retailers. An estimated 70% of processed foods in U.S. grocery stores contain some genetically engineered ingredients. Genetically modified crops are prevalent among U.S. farmers because these crop are hardy, pest-resistant, generally yield more and can be tailored to include additional nutritional benefits.

Because the practice is so widespread, food companies don't always know if the ingredients they are using were genetically modified. If they were required to label products as such, the time and cost to find out would be extensive--costs that would be passed along to taxpayers and consumers. A large part of the expense would be in establishing and operating separate storage and distribution networks for GMO and non-GMO foods.

Plus, food manufacturers worry that many consumers would reject products labeled as genetically altered out of fear or ignorance of the issue, before learning that the proven benefits of genetically engineered foods far outweigh the reputed risks.