With just one week left until Washington state voters decide on I-522, the ballot initiative to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs), money for the opposition continues to pour in. According to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, the No on 522 campaign received an influx of $4.2 million last week from just two sources: The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association (GMA) and Dupont Pioneer, the seed and agri-chemical company.
This brings the current “No on 522” campaign war chest total to $21.9 million, the most well-endowed single-issue campaign in state history.
Dupont’s latest contribution is $460,000, bringing its donor monies to $3.87 million, just under the $5.3 million from Monsanto. But the generosity of the seed and chemical world pales in comparison to that of GMA, which ponied up an additional $3.7 million last week. Its lump contribution now stands at $11 million to fight GMO labeling.
As I reported earlier this month here, the GMA was forced to disclose the source of its massive contribution. Under the threat of a lawsuit by the Washington state attorney general, the GMA formed a political action committee, Grocery Manufacturers Association Against I-522, with a list of contributors and amounts. According to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, 34 GMA member companies have contributed. They are:
PepsiCo, Inc.: $2,352,965
In addition to Pepsi soft drinks, the line of products include: Doritos, Tropicana orange juice, Gatorade, Lays potato chips, Ruffles, Aquafina bottled water, Lipton tea, Starbucks ready-to-drink beverages, Naked juice, and Sabra hummus.
Nestle USA, Inc.: $1,528,206
Brands include: Buitoni refrigerated pastas, California Pizza Kitchen, DiGiorno frozen pizza, Lean Cuisine, Dreyer’s ice cream, Edy’s ice cream, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, Nestea, Juicy Juice, Nescafe instant coffee, Carnation evaporated milk, Libby’s canned pumpkin, and Nestle toll house chips.
The Coca-Cola Company: $1,520,351
Brands include: Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta soft drinks, Dasani bottled water, Smartwater, Odwalla juices, Honest Tea, and Minute Maid juices.
General Mills, Inc.: $869, 270
Brands include: Cheerios, Yoplait yogurt, Cascadian Farm organic frozen vegetables, Green Giant frozen vegetables, Muir Glen organic tomatoes, Progresso canned soup, Larabar, Nature Valley granola bars, Macaroni Grill chain restaurant, Hamburger Helper, Betty Crocker, and Gold Medal flour. (Of note, General Mills CEO Ken Powell has said he’s for a national GMO labeling requirement.)
ConAgra Foods: $828,251
Brands include: Hunts tomato sauce, Wesson oil, Swiss Miss instant cocoa mix, Gulden’s mustard, Peter Pan peanut butter, Alexia frozen foods, David sunflower seeds, Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, and LaChoy soy sauce.
Campbell Soup Company: $384,888
In addition to its line of canned soups, brands include: Plum organics baby food, Prego spaghetti sauce, Pace salsa, Swanson chicken broth, V8 juices, and Pepperidge Farm.
The Hershey Company: $360,450
Chocolate bars, syrup, sweetened milk, cocoa powder, and seasonal confections.
The J.M. Smucker Company: $349,977
Products include: Jams, peanut butter, and ice cream toppings.
Kellogg Company: $322,049
In addition to its line of boxed cereals, products include: Toaster pastries and waffles, protein bars, and ready-made drinks.
Mondelez Global, LLC: $210,335
Cookie brands include: Chips Ahoy!, Oreo, Lu and Nilla. Cracker brands include: Wheat Thins, Ritz, Premium saltines and Cheese Nips. Chocolate brands include Green & Black’s, Toblerone, Cadbury. Trident and Dentyne chewing gum. Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese.
FlowersFoods, Inc.: $205,099
Several brands of sliced bread, including: Wonder, Sunbeam, and HomePride.
Abbott Nutrition: $185,025
Brands include Similac baby formula, Pedialyte hydration drink, Ensure nutrition drink, and ZonePerfect bars.
Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC: $175,425
Their efforts to keep the American consumer in the dark about their food have only served to enrage me. Since I eat mainly organic, I was already avoiding all of their products - now I'm avoiding the products made by their crummy little "poser" organic subsidiaries (i.e. Kashi, Gardenburger, Silk, Burt's Bees, Bolthouse Farms, etc.).
Corruption, bad "science," misinformation continue to rule the airwaves.
But f the GMO Labeling fails this time, Washington, there will be a next time; it's only a matter of time. The American People will win against our adversaries: the GMO Mafia and its greenwashing "organic" allies.
I am terrfied about what will happen to all the children that are being exposed to this GMO poison being sold everywhere.
"Evil is not an entity-it is merely the absence of good."
Be the good!!