Two more Oregon papers, both conservative leaning, are urging votes to reject the Oregon GMO labelling initiative. Most of the newspapers in Oregon, conservative and liberal, including the progressive weekly in Portland, have come out against the measure.
The Statesman Journal in Salem says the measure should be rejected because labeling should be decided at the national level, not by states or localities. “Genetic-engineering labeling is not as simple as the multistate deposit information that appears on Oregon beverage cans and bottles,” the paper noted.
It also took a swipe at the opponents of the measure, writing that “the claim that grocery prices would soar because manufacturers would have to make food differently for Oregon than for other states” is “hogwash.”
The Portland Tribune also urges a “no” vote on the grounds that a label would unfairly demonize foods with genetically modified ingredients.
Science is firmly on the side of continued use of genetically modified foods, and until someone can demonstrate a danger from these foods, we see no reason to slap what could be perceived as a warning label on otherwise safe substances. … Consumers are more accustomed to labels that warn of dangers — think tobacco and alcohol — or that convey useful nutritional information about calories, fat and sodium. The GMO label doesn’t fall within those categories — especially when you consider this labeling wouldn’t be done at the federal level.
According to anti-GMO activists, only five Oregon papers are urging a ‘yes’ vote on the measure: Eugene Register Guard, Medford Mail Tribune, Ashland Daily Tidings, Baker City Herald, and The Skanner.
The states most influential newspaper, the liberal Portland Oregonian, urged votes to reject the measure in an August editorial.
Protecting less-informed consumers from misleading labels would alone justify a “no” vote on Measure 92. But mandatory labeling almost certainly will raises food costs as well, which will have a disproportionate effect upon those with the least money to spend. … Oregonians may or may not like genetically engineered food products and the big companies that provide them, but such antipathy is a lousy reason to approve a measure that will mislead many consumers and place a disproportionate financial burden on those least able to carry it.
That last excerpt from the Portland Oregonian was a perfect summary. If people want labeling to distinguish from GMO foods they can use the voluntary “USDA Organic” Label and the “Verified GMO Free” ones. This is just like how “Kosher” and “Gluten Free” labels are used to advertise the food’s inclusion in a specific rule set. There’s no need to label GMOs and they know it.
Quite right ThePositronGirl. If organic activists really thought labelling GMOs was a human right, why didn’t they say so 20 years ago when GMOs were first introduced?
Give up?
Because 20 years ago, organic activists were focused on trying to ban GMOs!
They kept banging their heads against the wall, trying to ban GMOs, only to finally realize that it’s really difficult to ban a field of science.
And that’s when they gradually started to turn to GMO labelling instead of banning as a scare tactic which, they freely admit, is just the first step to banning GMOs.