There will always be a customer base for the lowest price points, and nothing is stopping the GMO-disinterested shopper from buying based on price, appearance, or anything else for that matter.
But there are enough people interested in the source of their foods — how they are grown, their impact on the environment and the economy. Giving those consumers the information they want is sensible policy. Labeling GMOs will not eliminate cheap food; it will simply conform to a changing landscape of consumer preferences and knowledge.
A federal program similar to the organic label program would make sense in the future: It would also put grocery chains' and conglomerates' fears of conflicting rules to rest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been operating the program for more than a decade: Today, more than 25,000 farmers, ranchers and food producers are involved in the organics industry, estimated at $35 billion and rapidly growing.
Last year, a New York Times poll found that 93 percent of respondents want foods containing GMO ingredients to be labeled. An earlier poll by the Washington Post found 94 percent of respondents favored the labels.
But without a USDA or other federal program, the states are on their own. In Colorado, where agriculture is so important, and consumers are keenly aware of their health and the environment, the labels make sense.
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