“Many Washington state residents know that on November 5, 2013, they will have to vote on whether or not to pass state Initiative 522, which will require special labels on certain foods made with genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. What many residents don’t know is that a “yes” vote can lead to many costly consequences for families, state residents and farmers,” argues the Washington Research Council’s September 2013 report, “Initiative 522: Costly, Flawed and Ill-Conceived.”
“The study closely examined the proposed legislation and presented several key truths regarding the initiative,” including, for example, the costly exceptions to GM labeling presented in the legislation, the estimated $264 million start-up costs for food producers to comply with I-552, and even the potential $200-$520 increase in yearly household food bills, reports BIOtechNow. Proponents of the bill, however, are lobbying for consumers’ “right to know” what is in their food, and, “that the initiative will not accrue extra costs to the average taxpayer.”
Read the full, original story here: “The Costly Consequences of I-522”
Additional Resources:
- “Initiative 522: Costly, Flawed and Ill-Conceived,” Washington Research Council
- “The food industry’s big problem with genetically engineered food,” Los Angeles Times
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“A Costly California Food Labeling Proposal,” Truth About Trade & Technology
