Colorado GMO Labeling of Food Initiative (2018)

Colorado GMO Labeling of Food Initiative
Election date November 6, 2018
Topic Food and agriculture and Business regulation
Status Not on the ballot
Type State statute	Origin Citizens
List of Colorado measuresColorado Amendment AColorado Amendment VColorado Amendment WColorado Amendment XColorado Amendment YColorado Amendment ZColorado Amendment 73Colorado Amendment 74Colorado Amendment 75Colorado Proposition 109Colorado Proposition 110Colorado Proposition 111Colorado Proposition 112Submit

The Colorado GMO Labeling of Food Initiative (#125) was not on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 6, 2018.

This measure would have required that food that has been genetically modified or contains ingredients that have been genetically modified be labeled with "Contains Genetically Modified Ingredients" beginning on July 1, 2020. The label would have been required to occupy a minimum of 12.5% of the surface area of the front side of the packaging.

The labeling requirements would not have been required for:

• Food or drink intended for consumption by animals;
• Chewing gum;
• Alcoholic beverages;
• Processed food that would only be subject to the requirements solely because it includes one or more processing aids or enzymes that were derived from genetic engineering;
• Food that is not packaged for retail sale and that is
  • Processed food prepared for immediate human consumption
  • Served or sold in a restaurant or food establishment
  • Dervided entirely from an animal that has not itself been genetically engineered
  • Medically prescribed

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the initiative is below:

Initiative 125 ballot title

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning labeling of genetically modified food, and, in connection therewith, requiring food that has been genetically modified or produced with genetic engineering to be labeled "Contains Genetically Modified Ingredients" starting on July 1, 2020; exempting some foods from the labeling requirement, including those that were produced or derived with genetic engineering, certain food that is not packaged for retail sale, food from an animal that has not itself been genetically engineered, and medically prescribed food; requiring the Colorado department of public health and environment to regulate the labeling of genetically modified food; and specifying that no private right of action is created for failure to conform to the labeling requirements?

Full text

• The full text of the measure is available here.
• The ballot title of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

The state process

In Colorado, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. State law provides that petitioners have six months to collect signatures after the ballot language and title are finalized. State statutes require a completed signature petition to be filed three months and three weeks before the election at which the measure would appear on the ballot. The Constitution, however, states that the petition must be filed three months before the election at which the measure would appear. The secretary of state generally lists a date that is three months before the election as the filing deadline.

The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2018 ballot:

• Signatures: 98,492 valid signatures were required.
• Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was August 6, 2018.

The secretary of state is responsible for signature verification. Verification is conducted through a review of petitions regarding correct form and then a 5 percent random sampling verification. If the sampling projects between 90 percent and 110 percent of required valid signatures, a full check of all signatures is required. If the sampling projects more than 110 percent of the required signatures, the initiative is certified. If less than 90 percent, the initiative fails.

Details about this initiative

• Matthew A. Callaway and Jonathan Leddy submitted this initiative on February 21, 2018.
• A ballot title and summary were issued for it on March 7, 2018.
• The measure did not qualify for the November 2018 ballot because it had either (a) never been cleared for signature gathering, (b) was abandoned by sponsors, or (c) otherwise reached a certain stage in the initiative process, but did not make the ballot.

See also

2018 measures

• 2018 ballot measures
• Food and agriculture on the ballot
• 2018 petition deadlines

Colorado

• Colorado ballot measures
• Colorado initiative laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls
• Ballot measure signature costs

External links

• Colorado Secretary of State: 2017-2018 Initiative Filings, Agendas & Result
• Initiative #125 Full text