Washington Genetically Modified Organism Labeling Measure, Initiative 1338 (2014)

Not on Ballot
This measure was not put on an election ballot

The Washington Genetically Modified Organism Labeling Measure, Initiative 1338 was not on the November 4, 2014 ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People. The measure would have required labels on some foods, raw agricultural commodities, and seeds, when sold at retail, disclosing that they were produced or may have been produced using genetic engineering, usually called genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Background

Efforts for required labeling and bans of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been a growing issue in American politics at the state and local level. More than a million people signed a petition to the Food and Drug Administration asking it to label GMOs, which was the most signatures of any petition in the agency’s history. Similar labeling measures failed in California in 2012 and Washington in 2013. As of May 14, 2014, there were 84 bills in 29 states regarding the labeling of GMOs. In 2014, Vermont became the first state in the country to require labeling of GMOs. Maine and Connecticut also passed labeling measures, but were designed to take effect after several neighboring states also adopt such measures. Arizona, Colorado and Oregon all have petition gather efforts underway for the 2014 ballot.

Beyond federal regulations, Arizona state laws require labeling of food for artificial flavors, artificial colors or chemical preservatives, as well as requiring products with vegetable fat or oil to contain the common name for that oil and the percentage of the product that contains fat.

AAAS statement on GMOs

According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), "crop improvement by the modern molecular techniques of biotechnology is safe." They said further,

“	As a result and contrary to popular misconceptions, GM crops are the most extensively tested crops ever added to our food supply. There are occasional claims that feeding GM foods to animals causes aberrations ranging from digestive disorders, to sterility, tumors and premature death. Although such claims are often sensationalized and receive a great deal of media attention, none have stood up to rigorous scientific scrutiny. Indeed, a recent review of a dozen well-designed long-term animal feeding studies comparing GM and non-GM potatoes, soy, rice, corn and triticale found that the GM and their non-GM counterparts are nutritionally equivalent.	”
—AAAS

Text of measure

Ballot title

The official ballot title read as follows:

“

Initiative Measure No. 1338 concerns labeling of genetically-engineered foods. This measure would require labels on some foods, raw agricultural commodities, and seeds, when sold at retail, disclosing that they were produced or may have been produced using genetic engineering, as defined. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ]

”

Ballot measure summary

The official ballot summary read as follows:

“

Beginning July 1, 2016, this measure would require labeling of some foods, raw agricultural commodities, and seeds and seed stock, when sold at retail in Washington. The labels would state that the labeled products were produced or may have been produced using genetic engineering, as defined. The measure would provide exceptions, authorize the state department of health to grant exemptions by rule, authorize state enforcement and civil penalties for violations, and allow private enforcement actions.

”

Support

Respect for Mother Nature Committee Washington (RMNCW) was the primary supporter of this measure. Clifford Greene was the primary sponsor of Initiative 1338.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Washington

Petitioners originally submitted Initiative 1326, also relating to the labeling of GMOs, on January 7, 2014. That version was withdrawn on January 30, 2014. The second proposed measure, Initiative 1338, was submitted on January 21, 2014 and was issued a ballot title on January 30, 2014. Supporters were required to collect at least 246,372 valid signatures by July 3, 2014 in order to land the initiative on the ballot. No signatures were submitted by the prescribed deadline.

See also

Suggest a link

• 2014 ballot measures
• Washington 2014 ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Washington

External links

• Full text of Initiative Measure No. 1338
• Respect for Mother Nature Committee of WA website

Additional reading

• Associated Press, "Ore. activists announce GMO labeling campaign," May 15, 2014
• The Atlantic, "Want to Know If Your Food Is Genetically Modified?: Across the country, an aggressive grassroots movement is winning support with its demands for GMO labeling. If only it had science on its side.," May 14, 2014
• Food and Chemical Toxicology, "Assessment of the health impact of GM plant diets in long-term and multigenerational animal feeding trials: A literature review," December 3, 2011
• European Commission, "A decade of EU-funded GMO research (2001-2010)," 2010
• The New York Times, "Leave 'Organic' Out of It," May 6, 2014