GMO food label battle heads to Oregon, Colorado ballet box

A bottle of fruit juice is labeled to inform buyers that it is free of GMOs, (or Genetically Modified Organisms), is displayed in Boulder, Colo., Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. With ballot measures going to a vote in November, Colorado and Oregon could become the first states to adopt mandatory GMO labels through public votes. GMOs now make up almost the entirety of many staple crops, such as corn and soybeans, which are used in many items on grocery-store shelves. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley) less A bottle of fruit juice is labeled to inform buyers that it is free of GMOs, (or Genetically Modified Organisms), is displayed in Boulder, Colo., Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. With ballot measures going to a vote in ... more Photo: Brennan Linsley, Associated Press Photo: Brennan Linsley, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close GMO food label battle heads to Oregon, Colorado ballet box 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Voters in two Western states are locked in a fierce battle over whether consumers should know what their food is made of.

Oregon and Colorado are deciding on labeling laws for genetically modified organisms.

Known as Measure 92 in Oregon and Proposition 105 in Colorado, the measures call for labeling food so consumers know if they are buying products that contain materials that have been genetically engineered or modified.

The states are vying to become the first to pass such a referendum, hoping to do what Washington and California could not accomplish after expensive campaigns in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Vermont lawmakers approved such labeling, but the issue is still being fought in the courts.

The latest ballot measures pit a coalition of foodies, organic farmers and nutrition activists against many of the nation’s leading food manufacturers including Monsanto Co., Kraft Foods Group Inc. and Coca-Cola Co.

Labeling supporters argue that consumers are entitled to know what their food contains. Opponents fear labeling will stigmatize their products.

A GMO is any plant or animal that has been modified with outside DNA, a method used to increase yields or provide protection against diseases. There are persistent concerns that “frankenfood” has hidden dangers, although a 2008 report by the National Academy of Sciences found no health problems associated with GMOs.

The current campaigns mirror the battles already fought in Washington and California. Even though the California labeling proposition lost, the effort helped raise awareness on the issue, said Larry Cooper, co-chair of Right to Know Colorado: Yes on 105.

In Colorado, labeling supporters have raised $700,000 compared with an estimated $12 million for their opponents, Cooper said. “It’s definitely a David versus Goliath thing,” he said.

In Oregon, the campaign over Measure 92 has become the costliest in the state’s history. As of the weekend, both sides had raised a record total of $16.7 million, the Portland Tribune reported.