GMO Labeling Initiative

Washington voters have been all over the news this week as they vote on whether to pass GMO labeling Initiative 522. As of yesterday, most press coverage had Initiative 522 failing, but as Washington is a mail-in ballot state the official count for the GMO labeling measure might not be in until the end of the week. It has been a close run for the initiative. In September 66 percent of Washington voters backed the measure, but as October drew to a close polls showed that I-522 was leading by just 4 percent voter approval. A similar labeling measure in California was defeated by voters last year. When asked about the GMO labeling issue at numerous news conferences around the country Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has pointed out that the USDA already has labels for organic and natural food products, and that historically the USDA’s labeling philosophy has been about nutrition and food safety, and that as far as he knows there is no risk connected with GMOs. Vilsack has also said that, as far as organic and conventional producers, the USDA has worked hard to create a discussion of co-existence that recognizes the important role that all production processes play in agriculture.