Supporters of an Oregon measure that would require labels on genetically modified food lost their effort to prevent the state from certifying the results of a recount, The Oregonian's Laura Gunderson reports. The measure failed by 812 votes out of 1.5 million cast. A Multnomah County judge denied the request for a temporary restraining order, which leaves the Secretary of State's Office likely to certify the results from a recount next week.
Washington state has an upcoming vote on a measure that would require the labeling of genetically modified foods. Now the Washington State Attorney General alleges that the Grocery Manufacturers Association, a major lobbying group for food manufacturers, violated campaign finance laws in its effort to oppose that measure, Reuters reports. The Attorney General alleges GMA has spent more than $7 million in its campaign against the proposed disclosure law "while shielding the identity of its contributors," Reuters reports.
Genectically modified crops have been adapted to climatic conditions in Africa that can otherwise cause crop failure and then famine, The Washington Post reports. But under Tanzania's "'strict liability' rule, anyone associated with importing, moving, storing or using GM products is liable if someone makes a claim of harm, injury or loss caused by the products. Such a claim could reach beyond personal loss or injury to include damage to the environment and to biological diversity," The Washington Post reports. The pros are protection from any unknown dangers of GMO crops, but the cons are lack of access to crops that could prevent hunger and starvation.
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