I-522 push is deceptive

I am writing to address two false claims made in the Sept. 27 paper about Initiative 522. Letters like these demonstrate that proponents of I-522 will talk about anything but the facts.

The truth is a broad statewide coalition has come together to strongly urge a no vote on I-522. Further, there is no safety issue in regards to genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. To suggest otherwise is misleading and contradicts more than 600 scientific studies.

As president of a small local food business I’ve been urging my friends and neighbors to vote no on this initiative.

I-522 is misleading because it will not provide consumers with accurate and reliable food labels. That’s because the measure exempts some two-thirds of the foods Washingtonians eat from its labeling requirements – even when these foods contain or are produced with some type of genetically engineered products.

And as a recent report by the Washington Research Council found, I-522 comes with enormous new costs that will translate to higher food prices for you and me.

I-522 is poorly written; it will not tell consumers what’s in their food, and it will hurt my business and many others. Please join me in voting no on I-522.

Michael Gilmartin

Spokane