For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s Genetic Engineering page, Millions Against Monsanto page and our Colorado News page.

Pick up a packaged product in any grocery store aisle in Colorado, and you can read the label to see if it has trans fat, high-fructose corn syrup, or any other ingredients health enthusiasts might want to avoid.

But should labels say whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were used in the making of food? GMOs have been used in the U.S. for almost 20 years to grow bigger crops that are more resistant to pests and weeds.

Large-scale food agricultural companies inject seeds with genes from other plants to produce pesticide-resistant crops and to help the plants create their own insecticide.

Up to 90% of the corn, soybeans, and sugar beets (used for sugar production) grown in the U.S. are genetically modified. Corn is found in a variety of foods, including high-fructose corn syrup, and is also used to feed meat-producing animals.

The GMO labeling question is one of the most debated issues in food safety across the world — and this fall, voters in Colorado and Oregon will decide if their states should require the labels.

Many people don’t know what GMOs are. But with millions of dollars flowing into both states to fight and support the ballot measures, they’re about to find out.