Relax, folks. You won't have to be aware of GMO in your food.

[Norm dePlume]

Initiative 522 did not pass. It would have made Washington state the first state in the U.S. to require labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms. As such, it was likely to have repercussions in the rest of the country. There was a large and well-funded ad campaign put on by Monsanto, DuPont, Bayer, BASF and the like, and it paid off.

And yes, I know that organisms have been selectively bred and hybridized for a good long time. And no, I don't view direct genetic manipulation as the same thing.

[Tom Servo]

That's a shame. I support anything that increases human awareness of what's in our food. At the same time, I am also not opposed to GMO foods because I think the benefits outweigh the risks as we know them.

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[Norm dePlume]

That's a shame. I support anything that increases human awareness of what's in our food. At the same time, I am also not opposed to GMO foods because I think the benefits outweigh the risks as we know them.

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If it would have passed, I think the biggest surprise would have been how common the label would be. Every box of Cheerios, every can of Coke, every Campbell's Soup can, and on and on.

[Billy Jingo]

If it would have passed, I think the biggest surprise would have been how common the label would be. Every box of Cheerios, every can of Coke, every Campbell's Soup can, and on and on.

At this point, wouldn't it be easier to label those products that don't have GMO?

[Norm dePlume]

At this point, wouldn't it be easier to label those products that don't have GMO?

Probably. One of the talking points against the measure was that "organic" labeling serves the same function, in reverse. As in, if you don't want GMO, buy organic.

[Gramps]

Lets all wander back to Indian corn.

[Adam]

Why don't these people just start labeling their food loudly proclaiming "no GMO" or whatever if this is such a big deal to so many people? If that many people actually cared, then every apple shipped out of Washington would have a great big yellow "not genetically modified" sticker on it.

Based upon what I'm seeing here, it is indeed a poorly-written bit of legislation, and ultimately the argument comes down to "eeeeevvvviiilllll corporate profits are teh debbillll!!!11!!" We already have a food regulatory agency in the United States, and it has affirmed many, many times, across many, many different ideological shifts both in the White House and in Congress, that this food that a very few people are up in arms about is plenty safe. To date, there has never been a single illness or death that can even remotely be attributed to GMO foods.



I'm sorry, but whole GMO foods dust-up looks even more contrived than ever before. It is being pushed by a bunch of pristine-earthers who refuse to accept the simple reality that the earth was never pristine in the first place.

[scott]

Probably. One of the talking points against the measure was that "organic" labeling serves the same function, in reverse. As in, if you don't want GMO, buy organic.

Is that not a valid point?

[scott]

Why don't these people just start labeling their food loudly proclaiming "no GMO" or whatever if this is such a big deal to so many people? If that many people actually cared, then every apple shipped out of Washington would have a great big yellow "not genetically modified" sticker on it.

Based upon what I'm seeing here, it is indeed a poorly-written bit of legislation, and ultimately the argument comes down to "eeeeevvvviiilllll corporate profits are teh debbillll!!!11!!" We already have a food regulatory agency in the United States, and it has affirmed many, many times, across many, many different ideological shifts both in the White House and in Congress, that this food that a very few people are up in arms about is plenty safe. To date, there has never been a single illness or death that can even remotely be attributed to GMO foods.



I'm sorry, but whole GMO foods dust-up looks even more contrived than ever before. It is being pushed by a bunch of pristine-earthers who refuse to accept the simple reality that the earth was never pristine in the first place.

It's more than that, it's corporate lobbying and astroturf from Monsanto's competitors that is driving the effort.

[Adam]

It's more than that, it's corporate lobbying and astroturf from Monsanto's competitors that is driving the effort.

Not surprising. Sort of like DuPont astroturfing environmental groups to get Freon banned, I guess.

[Tom Servo]

What I don't understand is why the GMO issue is so big in Europe. I've actually heard some say they will never visit the Americas because we're "eating mystery food."

Then again these are the same people who think carbon trading can actually stop global warming, so maybe I'm just giving them too much credit.

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[Norm dePlume]

Opponents of the labeling have a peculiar straddle. On the one hand, they say, there is nothing frightful about genetic modification. On the other hand, putting the words "genetically modified" on the label is a scare tactic. As a food production mechanism, it's nothing to be avoided. Awareness of it, however, must be avoided, even if we have to spend millions to defeat it at the polls.

[Norm dePlume]

It's more than that, it's corporate lobbying and astroturf from Monsanto's competitors that is driving the effort.

Prove it.

[Norm dePlume]

Is that not a valid point?

Not entirely. There are a lot of foods that are neither GMO nor organic. Being organic involves some other criteria about pesticides and fertilizers. But it is true that organic foods are non-GMO by definition.

[Norm dePlume]

As a public service, I am noting that the following post contains a GMO (Grammatically Modified Outburst), bolded for easy identification. It should not be confused with an actual argument.

Why don't these people just start labeling their food loudly proclaiming "no GMO" or whatever if this is such a big deal to so many people? If that many people actually cared, then every apple shipped out of Washington would have a great big yellow "not genetically modified" sticker on it.

Based upon what I'm seeing here, it is indeed a poorly-written bit of legislation, and ultimately the argument comes down to "eeeeevvvviiilllll corporate profits are teh debbillll!!!11!!" We already have a food regulatory agency in the United States, and it has affirmed many, many times, across many, many different ideological shifts both in the White House and in Congress, that this food that a very few people are up in arms about is plenty safe. To date, there has never been a single illness or death that can even remotely be attributed to GMO foods.



I'm sorry, but whole GMO foods dust-up looks even more contrived than ever before. It is being pushed by a bunch of pristine-earthers who refuse to accept the simple reality that the earth was never pristine in the first place.