Colorado Voters May Be Next To Decide On GMO Food Labeling

Colorado Voters May Be Next To Decide On GMO Food Labeling:

Larry Cooper, co-chair of the pro-GMO food labeling Right To Know Colorado campaign, told Politico that the group submitted a proposed ballot initiative to the state last week. If approved, Cooper and other supporters of food labeling will start collecting the 85,000 signatures need to get the measure on the November 2014 ballot.

On its website, Right To Know Colorado describes its mission as one that is "built on the foundation that we have the basic right to know what is in our food and what we are feeding our families."

"Food labels list and describe nearly every detailed component of the food product, from the caloric values and processing information, to the fat and protein content and the known allergens," Right To Know's mission statement reads. "Adding a simple label for GMO ingredients would fulfill Colorado consumers’ right to know, enabling them to make educated food purchases and dietary choices."

GMOs are living organisms, including plants and animals, that have had their genetic code altered. The technology is often used in plants, like corn and soybeans, that are engineered to be more drought-tolerant, resistant to herbicides or produce proteins that are toxic to insects, among other traits. The Grocery Manufacturers Association has said that 75 to 80 percent of conventional processed foods in the U.S. contain genetically-engineered ingredients.