Sometimes people don't see the forest for the trees. I think that old adage can be very appropriately applied to Washington State Representative, Cary Condotta (R-East Wenatchee) who is a sponsor of a new initiative HB-2143 which calls for labeling genetically engineered salmon. One would think that the recent defeat of I-522 which called for the labeling of all products containing GMO's would have tempered the energy of the anti-GMO crowd, at least for a while, but no, here we go again. This bill may have a better chance of passage as it is being presented as an effort to protect the states' all important Salmon industry. This singular focus may actually carry the battle to a successful victory for the anti-GMO crowd. But if it does, it may be a short-lived victory. Why? For the answer we look to New Hampshire.

Two Granite State Reps, Tara Sad and Bob Haefner have put forth that even though New Hampshire did pass a GMO labeling initiative, they voted against it because they feel it is both unconstitutional and unenforceable. Their reasoning…. product labeling is not a state responsibility, but that it falls to Federal jurisdiction. 

While I am against the idea of labeling foods containing GMO's because no one has proven, though many have tried, that biotech foods are different from conventional foods in terms of safety and nutritional value and benefit, I do believe we will not be able to put this issue to bed once and for all, until it is decided at the federal level legislatively and then vetted through the courts and  ending up at the Supreme Court. THE SOONER THE BETTER!