Genetically modified foods, or GMO’s, are at the center of much heated debate.

American’s are now demanding to know what exactly it is that they are eating.

Is our food safe? What, if any are the long term effects of consuming genetically modified foods and the chemicals with which they are sprayed?

Tens of millions of dollars are expected to be spent on the election showdown. It pits consumer groups and the organic food industry, both of which support mandatory labeling, against more conventional farmers, agricultural biotechnology companies like Monsanto and many of the nation’s best-known food brands like Kellogg’s and Kraft.

The heightened stakes have added fuel to a long-simmering debate over the merits of genetically engineered crops, which many scientists and farmers believe could be useful in meeting the world’s rapidly expanding food needs.

Supporters of labeling argue that consumers have a right to know when food has been modified with genes from another species, which they say is fundamentally different from the selective breeding process used in nearly all crops.

Producers fear that labeling will lead to consumer’s rejection of such genetically engineered products without knowing the whole story.