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Biotech Attack GMO Labeling in WA—Organic Brands Hide Behind Lobby Group

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Friday, 13 September 2013 07:04
November 5 in Washington state, would mandate clear labeling of genetically
engineered (GE) ingredients on food packages. It has become the latest
battleground pitting consumer and farmer advocates against
multi-billion-dollar agribusiness corporations.

Recent polling indicates strong support for the Washington state
informational labeling measure. But a flood of money to fight the ballot
initiative has rolled in from Monsanto, DuPont, and other biotechnology
interests and food manufacturers, now totaling over $11 million, according
to Washington state election records.

"Consumers might be surprised to find out that some of their favorite
organic and natural brands, hiding behind their lobbyist, the Grocery
Manufacturers Association, are contributing bushel baskets of cash towards
thwarting the consumer’s right to know what is in their food in Washington,"
says Mark Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute
(http://www.cornucopia.org/).

Cornucopia has released an infographic
(http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/09/gmo-food-labeling-washington-state-supporters-opponents/)
designed to inform consumers and let them make purchasing decisions
reflecting their values. Many organic and natural food manufacturers are
financially supporting the GMO labeling effort. They and other proponents
are identified in Cornucopia's infographic along with the biotech and
agribusiness concerns fighting the labeling effort.

Last year, a similar GMO labeling measure was narrowly defeated in
California, with Monsanto and its allies pouring more than $46 million into
their campaign and outspending labeling supporters by five to one. Many
prominent organic and natural brands were outed in California by Cornucopia
for their opposition to GMO food labeling.

Just recently, the powerful Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) publicly
scrubbed its website of its members, a move thought by many to be an effort
to mask which corporations/brands helped underwrite the $2.2 million already
donated by the GMA against I-522. They haven't, however, been able to
remove this web archive
(http://web.archive.org/web/20130630212535/http:/www.gmaonline.org/forms/MemberDirectory/viewMemberDirectoryAll)
detailing their membership.

"They are obviously trying to hide their membership," says Trudy Bialic,
Director of Public Affairs for PCC Natural Markets
(http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/), a Seattle-based, member-owned grocery
cooperative. PCC has been working on GMO issues since 1994 when rBGH — a
genetically engineered growth hormone for dairy cattle — was a contentious
issue.

Assessing the dollars fueling both campaigns, Bialic observes that "not one
individual is listed as a contributor on the 'No' side, while the 'Yes' side
is being funded by thousands of individuals." PCC itself has contributed
$198,344 in support of I-522.

GMA spokesman Brain Kennedy told Politico, a Washington, DC publication
covering politics, that "GMA fully supports the No on 522 Campaign in
Washington State, and will continue to support the campaign’s effort to
defeat this costly, confusing and unnecessary proposal."

Mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food at the state level is
viewed as a watershed event by many industry observers, given the inaction
on the popular proposal at the federal level. Monsanto, its biotech allies,
and GMA in particular, have been credited for bottlenecking the federal
labeling law.

"Just as we've observed in Europe, where labeling of food containing
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is mandatory, we fully expect that,
when given a choice, consumers will choose organic or non-GMO products,"
said Mark A. Kastel, Codirector of the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia. "And
the industrial food lobby is fully cognizant of this — that's why they're
fighting like hell against this grassroots effort."

One leading organic manufacturer that has been actively promoting and
funding a "yes on I-522" vote is Nutiva. "We support I-522 because everyone
has a right to know what's in our food," says John W Roulac, Nutiva's
Founder and CEO. Roulac has been working hard to convince other corporate
executives to step up as well. He has committed Nutiva to donating $75,000.

Other prominent commercial backers of state citizen initiatives, viewed as
heroes in the organic movement, include Nature's Path, the prominent cereal
manufacturer, and the soap manufacturer, Dr. Bronner's. Additional
organizations throwing their financial weight behind the consumer’s right to
know include the health website Mercola.com and the Organic Consumers
Association.

The biggest single donor to the “No” campaign is Monsanto. The biotech
giant has contributed $4.8 million — an amount greater than all of the funds
collected by the right-to-know forces.

"Consumers are increasingly interested in ‘voting with their forks,’ and
many want to support companies that share their values," notes Jason Cole, a
researcher for Cornucopia who compiled the data for the infographic. "We
know that many organic and ‘natural’ brands, owned by corporate
agribusiness, fought the California food labeling effort. We believe, until
it is shown otherwise, that many of these same companies are likely
clandestinely supporting a defeat of the Washington state effort by
funneling their dollars through the Grocery Manufacturers Association. "


-30-


MORE:

Other "Yes" vote campaign donors include Organic Consumer’s Fund, Health
Resources, Presence Marketing, Food and Water Watch, Center for Food
Safety, WashPIRG, GFA/Boulder Brands, Annie’s, Food Democracy Now, Amy’s
Kitchen, Lundberg Family Farms, Clif Bar, CROPP Cooperative (Organic
Valley), UNFI, Inc., Wehan Farms, Stonyfield Farm, Whole Foods, Diamond
Foods, Earthbound Farms, Turtle Mountain, Environmental Working Group,
Institute for Responsible Technology, Freeland Foods/Go Raw, Jimbo’s Natural
Family Inc., Brad’s Raw Chips, Suja Life LLC, Van’s International Foods,
Vital Choice Wild Seafood and Organics, Jobbertown Media, Wallaby Yogurt,
Eden Foods, Attune Foods, Back to Nature, Barney and Co, Dale and Thomas
Popcorn, Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products, Califia Farms LP, Mamma
Chia, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Organic Foods Express, Wholesome Sweeteners,
Good Earth Natural Foods, Straus Family Creamery, Full Circle Farm, Skagit
Valley Food Coop, Springfield Creamery, Earth Island, Equal Exchange, The
Natural Grocery, Traditional Medicinals, Nutritional Therapy Association,
Rhythm Superfoods, Marlene’s Market and Deli, Café Press, Raw Foods
International, Nature’s Best, Ben and Jerry’s, Intellicomp/Seasnax, Skagit
Valley Food Co-op, Wisdom Natural Brands, Bragg Live Foods, Turtle Island,
Good Karma, Organically Grown Company, FoodState Inc., Park Slope Food Coop,
Endangered Species Chocolate, Sky Valley Foods, Glutino, Northbest Natural
Products, Wild Brine, Ocean Beach Organic Food Coop, The Food Coop (Port
Townsend, WA), Essential Living Foods, Scratch and Peck Feeds, Raven’s
Journey, and Experience Health.

Major opponents of Washington's food labeling initiative also include Bayer
CropScience ($591,654), DuPont ($3,420,189), and Dow AgroSciences ($29,531).


The Cornucopia Institute is engaged in research and educational activities
supporting the ecological principles and economic wisdom underlying
sustainable and organic agriculture. Through research and investigations on
agricultural and food issues, The Cornucopia Institute provides needed
information to family farmers, consumers, stakeholders involved in the good
food movement, and the media.
September 12, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Kastel, 608-625-2042

Biotech and Agribusinesses Attack GMO Labeling in Washington State

Natural/Organic Brands Hide Behind Lobbying Organization

The Cornucopia Institute releases shopper’s guide: pro/con I-522 brands


http://www.cornucopia.org/2013/09/biotech-attack-gmo-labeling-wa-organic-brands-hide-behind-lobby-group/
CORNUCOPIA, WI: Proposition I-522, a citizen's initiative on the ballot on
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