The citizens of Washington State voted against a bill that would have required the labeling of genetically modified foods, according to preliminary ballot results. Tuesday’s ballots saw 35 counties out of 39 vote against the legislation backed by environmentalists. The current figures are based on preliminary results, with confirmation expected later today. In June, Connecticut became the first state to require the labeling of foods that had been genetically modified.
The bill, also known as Initiative 522, would have obliged companies that produce genetically modified food to label their products as such. The legislation was to come into effect in 2015. A survey carried out in early September by Politico indicated early support for the bill with 66 percent of Washingtonians approving of the legislation. However, by October support had declined significantly, to 46 percent. In 2012, a similar bill was struck down in California.
