6-23 NWR Britain Remaining in the European Union

Voters in the United Kingdom were to decide today on whether to remain one of the 28 nations in the European Union. The contentious vote comes as the United States is negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the EU.  Doctor Jullian Binfield with the University of Missouri says Britain would be in need of trade agreements should it split from the union: "If the UK left the EU I think it would open up market opportunities for the US. They are likely to liberalize their policies and their trade. The UK is a major food importer so I think the US will be able to trade and export more to the UK and the UK will be more accepting of GMO."

 Binfield is director of international programs at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, based at the University of Missouri. Campaigns both for and against Britain's continued membership in the European Union continued over the weekend, following the murder of a lawmaker who supported Britain remaining in the EU.

Elsewhere from myNorthwest.com what the Downtown Seattle Association calls an "unprecedented" level of development is setting historic records as the city continues to grow. As of this month there are 65 buildings under construction in downtown. It is more than at any time since the association began tracking in 2005.