Besha RodellJust a few weeks back, it looked as though Proposition 37, the law that would require the labeling of most foods that include genetically modified ingredients, would pass with ease. Polls showed that CA voters approved of the measure by a wide margin.
But in the intervening weeks, that broad support waned, and in yesterday's election the law failed to pass, being defeated, with 53% of voters opposed to 47% in favor. This is seen as a huge win for big agriculture interests such as Monsanto, which poured millions of dollars into a television campaign to fight the measure. In a post-election statement, CA Right To Know, the organization that had been fighting to get the measure passed, said:
These results are also a reminder of the corrupting influence of huge multinational corporations on our electoral process. The world's leading pesticide and junk food companies outspent Yes on 37 by more than 5 to 1, and beginning on October 1, spent about a million dollars a day on a hailstorm of false claims, misrepresentations and fear mongering over five simple words on a label.
Proponents of Prop 37 had hoped that, if passed, the law would make GMO labeling the standard for the entire country. And while the supporters of GMO labeling vow that this is not the end of the fight but the beginning, it's unclear what form that fight will take from here on out.
See also:
Vote Yes On Prop 37 Gets Some Serious Star Power: Bill Maher + Danny DeVito
Proposition 37: Support Declines for GMO Labeling Law
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