Dive Brief:
- Voters in three states let their voices be heard yesterday on genetically modified food, and the results are mixed.
- In Colorado, a proposal to require labeling of GMO food was rejected. In Oregon, a similar measure was still too close to call this morning.
- In Hawaii, a broader measure banning the planting of GMO crops passed in a very close race.
Dive Insight:
The most telling item from yesterday's votes on GMO is just how close some of the votes were. In Oregon, hours after the polls closed, it was still impossible to pick a winner. In Hawaii, the crop ban passed with just 50.2% of the votes.
It was only in Colorado, where opponents of GMO label requirements won more than 68% of the vote, where the electorate's will was clear.
And what this means, no doubt, is that we'll see another round of anti-GMO proposals in the next election cycle, and a round of lawsuits within days to challenge yesterday's victors.