Issue alert – Proposition 37 defeated in California

 

 Proposition 37, the California ballot initiative to label all genetically modified foods, was defeated   on November 6 by a margin of 53% - 47%. This is a crushing blow for activists, who had fought hard to get this initiative on the ballot, raised over $6 million to support it and just a few short weeks ago held a fairly substantive lead in public opinion surveys. In fact, Proposition 37 started its life with over 80% support. Once the coalition against Proposition 37 mobilized, however, including farmers, food manufacturers, retailers, and the biotech sector, and the campaign started in earnest, support steadily dropped as people began to grasp the practical implications of the measure.

 

This ballot initiative was viewed by many as a bellwether – had it passed, activists would have quickly tried to seize the momentum to pressure both the U.S. and Canadian governments at the national levels. There would have been significantly increased media interest in the issue as well.

 

While the defeat of Proposition 37 removes the more immediate threat of a full on debate on labeling in Canada, the issue will no doubt resurface in the near future.  Activists will learn their lessons from the defeat, and try again in another jurisdiction, likely with an initiative somewhat less ambitious than Proposition 37. In addition, Canada’s federal New Democratic Party, the official opposition, is on the record as being strongly in favour of GM labeling, although they have not advanced any specific policies as to how they would implement this goal.  Clearly there remains a great deal of work to do in terms of reaching out to the public and elected officials about the safety of GM crops and the benefits of innovation to both consumers and the environment.