Prop. 37 loses in California

As reported by this blog, Proposition 37 has been a heavily debated issue in California, as many citizens believe that producers using genetically-modified ingredients in their products should have food labels that say so. But, after yesterday’s election, the bill was not passed by a large margin.

According to the San Francisco Gate, many opponents argued that the cost for changing to non-GMO ingredients would be levied onto the consumers with rising prices, amounting to almost $400 annually for an average family. Furthermore, dissenters claim that bill had too many loopholes that would allow for lawsuits against food manufacturers.

“We said it from the beginning that the more voters learned about Prop. 37, the less they would like it,” Kathy Fairbanks, a spokeswoman for the opposition, told the source. “We didn’t think they would like the lawsuits, more bureaucracy, higher costs, loopholes and exemptions. It looks like they don’t.”

Those that were in support of the proposition cited that genetically-engineered foods posed many health risks for humans, and that citizens deserved to know what they were purchasing and eating.

Regardless of the end results, many individuals for the proposition see the overall campaign as a victory. According to Grant Lundberg, co-chair of Yes on 37, this is one of the first times that millions of Californians came together to push for increased transparency on food labels, and the first time a bill that would require companies using genetically-modified ingredients to label their products so had come close to being a reality.

The fact that Proposition 37 was popular among many citizens shows that consumer demand is shifting toward increased clarity of product labels. By investing in a Primera LX900 color label printer, businesses can create clearer, more transparent labels for their products to supply for this rising demand.