The following is an edited excerpt.
Before the Connecticut’s GE labeling law can take effect, four other states, including at least one that borders Connecticut, must pass a similar bill, and a combination of northeastern states with a total population of 20 million must also approve GMO labeling legislation.
This “safety-in numbers” approach is an attempt to minimize the potential for lawsuits from food manufacturers. Until now, industry has successfully thwarted most attempts by the “right to know” movement, which emphasizes that the health risks of GMOs are still unclear and that consumers have the right to choose safe food, to pass labeling laws. In Vermont, the threat of a lawsuit from Monsanto halted passage of a similar law in spring 2012. And during the November 2012 elections, California voters rejected Proposition 37, a ballot initiative that would have required GMO labeling, after Monsanto and other biotech companies spent approximately $50 million on advertising against the initiative.
Read the full story here: GMO Domino Effect
