Oregon
Oregon county delays enforcement of GMO crop ban
Officials in Jackson County, Oregon, won't enforce a voter-approved ban on genetically engineered crops until there is a U.S. District Court decision, says the Medford Mail Tribune.
Oregon GMO recount begins in 19 counties
A hand recount of the vote on whether to require labels on GMO foods in Oregon began in 19 of the state's 36 counties on Tuesday, said the Salem Statesman Journal.
Recount assured, Oregon GMO labeling trails by 809 votes
Final unofficial results in Oregon show the GMO labeling initiative failied by 809 votes out of 1.5 million ballots. The split in votes "is within the margin that would trigger an automatic recount," said the Secretary of State's office. The next step is for Secretary of State Kate Brown to certify the results, which could be as early as Dec 1 and would set off a recount that could last for two weeks.
Oregon counties that banned GMO crops split on GMO labels
Residents of the Rogue River Valley of southern Oregon voted by large majorities in May to ban GMO crops from Jackson and Josephine counties. They split last week on whether to require special labels on food made with genetically modified organisms, according to results in an interactive map posted by the Portland Oregonian. In Jackson County, the vote was 55-45 in favor of GMO labeling but in Josephine County, it was 51-49 against it.
Oregon vote is closest yet on GMO labeling, fight continues
The Oregon referendum on labeling food made with genetically modified organisms, while a defeat, was the closest vote yet on the idea, which has gone to a vote in different states for three years in a row. Proponents and opponents say the expensive and splashy elections will lead to a national debate.
Monsanto settles rogue GE wheat case for $2.375 million
Seed and chemical company Monsanto announced an agreement with soft white wheat growers to settle three class-action lawsuits that arose from the discovery that some of its experimental genetically engineered wheat was growing wild in eastern Oregon.
Berkeley soda tax and Maui GE limits win, GMO labels lose
Voters in Berkeley, Calif, approved the nation's first municipal soda tax and Maui County, Hawaii, passed an initiative that bars cultivation of genetically engineered crops during Tuesday's general elections. Statewide referendums in Oregon and California to require labels of food made with genetically modified organisms were defeated.
A dozen elections with food and agriculture policy impact
A dozen elections today may influence food and agriculture policy nationally, They range from the Kansas race that could determine the next chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee to referendums on soda taxes and GMO labeling.
GMO food labeling initiative trails in Oregon poll
Opponents held a 6-point advantage in a poll of 403 likely voters in Oregon on whether to require special labels on foods containing genetically modified organisms, says the Portland Oregonian, one of two news outlets that commissioned the survey by Elway Research.
Oregon GMO labeling referendum sets spending record
The statewide referendum in Oregon over labeling foods containing genetically modified organisms is now the most expensive ballot question in state history, says the Salem Statesman Journal.
Close vote likely on Oregon GMO labeling, poll says
By a small margin, Oregon voters favor a state law requiring labels on food containing genetically modified organisms, based on a survey of 516 likely voters, says the Blue Mountain Eagle in John Day, Oregon.
Heating up over “hot goods” cases in agriculture
"An attempted crackdown on minimum wage and child labor violations at berry farms in the Pacific Northwest has sparked a backlash that threatens one of the U.S. Labor Department’s most potent tools for enforcing protections for farm workers," writes Bridget Huber at the news site FairWarning.
Opponents dominate funding in GMO label drives in West
The opposition to state-level labeling of GMO foods is out-spending the proponents in Colorado and Oregon, which hold statewide referendums on the issue on Nov 4, says Food Safety News.
As Oregon vote nears, dispute over cost of GMO labels
Oregonians probably would pay a penny, or less, a day if they pass a referendum to require labels on food made with genetically modified organisms, says a study commissioned by two groups who support the initiative.
Urban voters will decide Oregon GMO-label initiative
Political analysts say the outcome of Oregon's statewide referendum on labeling foods made with genetically modified organisms will depend on whether opponents can win over liberal-leaning urban voters, says the Portland Tribune. Analysts expect the opposition to out-spend the pro-labeling campaign. Around 80 percent of the state population lives in urban areas.
Food and ag industry triples spending on GMO lobbying
The food industry and agribusiness allies that oppose labeling of GMO foods spent $27.5 million in the first half of this year on lobbying that involved labeling, triple the amount they spent last year, says the Environmental Working Group. "The burst of lobbying by food and biotechnology companies was partly designed to muster Congressional support for legislation that would block states from requiring GE labeling on food packages," said EWG, known for its database of farm subsidy recipients.
Risk of biofuel crops turning invasive; controls needed
There are few federal or state safeguards against the introduction of an invasive species as a biofuel crop, say researchers at the University of Illinois in two newly published papers.
“A full-circle agriculture education”
The Bend-LaPine School District in central Oregon has one of the most comprehensive farm-to-school programs in the nation, with "students raising animals, butchering animals, and feeding a school meal program," writes Kerry Newberry at Civil Eats. Says the school district's wellness specialist Katrina Wiest, "It’s a full circle agriculture education experience.” The school district bought its own smoker to add flavor to the meat, which is served in the cafeterias.