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Colorado voters to decide on GMO labeling

The debate over whether foods containing genetically modified ingredients should be labeled as such is heating up in Colorado.

Voters in that state will decide on a GMO labeling ballot initiative in November.  And once again, the opponents of GMO labeling are spending a lot more money than the supporters of the initiative.

The “No on 105” coalition has netted nearly 10 million dollars in donations so far.  Some of the biggest contributors through September 29th were Monsanto, at 4.7 million; PepsiCo, at 1.15 million; and Kraft Foods, at just over one million dollars.

The pro-labeling advocates, calling themselves “GMO Right to Know Colorado”, had only raised 320-thousand dollars, led by a group called Food Democracy Action which has contributed 140-thousand dollars.

GMO labeling will also be on the ballot in Oregon this fall. Similar ballot initiatives have failed in California and Washington in the past two years.

This spring, Vermont became the first state to approve GMO labeling. However, a group of national organizations—led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association—has filed a lawsuit in federal court that challenges the new law.