I-522 appeared headed for defeat, with incomplete returns showing 45 percent in favor to 55 percent opposed according to the Washington state Secretary of State. The official web election site will be updated throughout the week as mail-in votes are received.
“This is a clear victory for Washington consumers, taxpayers and family farmers across our state,” Dana Bieber, spokeswoman for No on 522, said in a statement Tuesday evening. “Washington voters have soundly rejected this badly written and deceptive initiative.”
The measure, which would have been the first of its kind in the United States, required labeling of foods that are made with genetically altered crops as well as labeling of genetically engineered seeds and seed products sold in the state. The outcome was being closely watched around the country as more than two dozen U.S. states and the federal government wrestle with whether to require labeling.
Supporters of the measure, who say it would help consumers make informed shopping choices, have not yet conceded, pointing to ballots unaccounted for through the vote-by-mail system in the Pacific Northwest state. However, the number of mail-in votes are not believed to be large enough to change the final outcome.
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Read the full, original story here: “Washington state GMO labeling measure headed for defeat — opponents”
Additional Resources:
- “Vote on Labeling Modified Food Spurs Costly Battle in Washington State,” New York Times
- “I-522 is misleading, costly food-labeling initiative,” Bellingham Herald
- “The Costly Consequences of I-522,” BIOtechNOW
