I am quite dismayed to hear of the deception being promoted by the No on Proposition 37 campaign. Everything from misrepresenting endorsements, to scary possible scenarios to fabricating quotes from the FDA.
 
Unfortunately, the reporting of the deceptions probably receives much less attention than the well financed advertising of the No on Prop 37 campaign. (I applaud LakeCoNews' recent coverage of these falsities.)
 
Labeling costs would not be significantly different than any other labeling costs. Most likely just a displacement of some information in exchange for other information. Remembering that over 50 countries worldwide require the labeling of GE produced food, there seems to be no massive increase in food costs, lawsuits, and farmers going out of business as a result. This sounds like a scare tactic.
 
I was intrigued by the logic some are proposing: to instead label those products WITHOUT genetically engineered materials. That would be like asking food producers to label that a product doesn't have vitamin B, or cobalt, or? (Now that WOULD increase the cost of food significantly if we were to begin labeling food for all the things that aren't present!)
 
In listening to a debate from the Commonwealth Club last evening, some opponents seem really concerned that genetic engineering c/would go away if the labeling of these food products in the U.S. were to happen. This slippery slope logic is flawed, of course, but if anything, the labeling of GE foods may force the industry to become more accountable for its claimed goals. It may also end up having to refine its intention, better its practices and begin to produce what it has promised from the beginning (but which has failed thus far): less costly food, less pesticide use, an answer to unfettered population growth (!) and feeding the world.
 
It’s time to hold this industry accountable for its practices and actions and that begins with labeling. Our right to know. Maybe then, the market can truly decide whether it wants/needs these foods. Additionally, maybe some honest assessment of these products can begin to take place, rather than relying on sparse industry led studies.
 
I was pleased to hear recently that the faith communities are coming forward to insist on, at minimum, labeling GE foods. Christian, Jewish, Hindu and others believe that genetically engineered food should be labeled. Some believe it is interfering with the natural food made by God.
 
My vote is secure in support of Proposition 37, but I wonder how many others have been swayed in recent weeks by the prolific and sometimes deceptive advertising put forth by the No on Proposition 37 campaign? In an era when political spending knows no bounds, and catching inaccuracies may be too late to impact the audience that heard them, it will be interesting to see how the campaign turns out.
 
An ABC analysis in June revealed that 93 percent of Americans believe the federal government should require the labeling of GE foods ( http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97567&;page=1#.UJPuxBgsltQ ). Let's see what the final numbers are at the polls in California this week.

JoAnn Saccato lives in Cobb, Calif.