California Food Labeling Debate Centers on GMO Requirements

Proposition 37, a ballot initiative in California, proposed mandatory labeling for genetically engineered food. If passed, it would have required food manufacturers selling products in the state to disclose if ingredients contained genetically modified, or GMO, components. GMO ingredients are estimated to be present in 75% to 80% of all processed foods in the U.S.

The California market, valued at $2 trillion, is large enough that changes in labeling requirements there would necessitate changes across the entire market. The initiative could have significantly impacted agro-chemical companies that grow commodity crops nationwide.