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Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Oregon Legislature. This is a venue for political and policy coverage of the state government in Salem and its impact on the people of Oregon.

Oregonians Will Vote On GMO Labeling Initiative

Chris Lehman
/
Northwest News Network

An initiative that will give Oregonians the chance to vote on whether food companies should label products that contain genetically engineered ingredients qualified for the November ballot Wednesday.

Sandeep Kaushik is with Oregon Right to Know, the group behind the ballot measure. He said the campaign gathered more than 100,000 valid signatures in just six weeks.

"That's really indicative of the fact that this is an issue of significant concern for Oregonians," Kaushik said.

A lobbyist for the pesticide industry issued a statement calling the initiative "costly and misleading."

Washington voters turned down a similar proposal last year. A GMO-labeling law is set to take effect in 2016 in Vermont. But the plan is on hold due to a lawsuit by the grocery industry.