On election day, California voters rejected Prop 37, which would have required retailers and food companies to label products made with genetically modified ingredients. ARA supported a broad industry coalition opposed to the labeling proposition. The coalition of companies and organizations opposed to Prop 37 launched an extensive advertising campaign in California explaining a variety of reasons why GMO labeling would be costly for consumers and punitive to businesses like small farms and mom-and-pop stores.
Many agriculture and food industry companies invested a significant amount in the campaign to stop Prop 37, nearly six times what proponents of the proposition invested. However, the final vote on the decision in California was still extremely close. The proposition only failed to pass by a few percentage points. For more information on Proposition 37 and the campaign that helped lead to this important victory for agriculture, visit www.noprop37.com.