Mandatory labeling has been reserved for products deemed to carry some sort of health risk — tobacco products, for example. All other labeling has been done on a voluntary basis, he said.

“This goes beyond biotech. It’s important to the food industry as a whole,” Kalaitzandonakes said. “Everybody in the industry is interested in a predictable system with clear rules.”

IN HAWAII

The vote in Maui County is interesting in that it wouldn’t affect the entire state, yet it could have ramifications well beyond the region. Hawaii, with its ideal climate and long growing season, is home to several research farms owned by seed companies. Monsanto has two facilities in the county — one on Maui and another on Molokai.

The state makes an ideal testing ground for corn because of the climate and the fact that there’s little or no chance of contamination from nearby farms, said Michael Aide, chairman of the department of agriculture at Southeast Missouri State University. “It’s a pristine environment in terms of the pollen,” Aide said.

As for what Monsanto would do if GMO cultivation were outlawed in the county, Lord would not speculate.

“But I can tell you that this initiative threatens not only the livelihoods of farmers on the islands, it would also cost Maui County $85 million per year in economic activity — without any legitimate scientific justification,” she said.

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