The tactic previously worked for the pharmaceutical industry. And in California’s June primary, the tobacco industry helped defeat an initiative supported by cycling legend Lance Armstrong that would have raised cigarette taxes to fund cancer research.
So far, farming giants such as Monsanto, Dupont Pioneer and
Cargill have contributed nearly $25 million to defeat the proposal, with
much of that cash coming in the past few days. It’s nearly 10 times the
amount raised by backers of the ballot measure who say California’s
health-conscious shoppers want more information about the food they eat.
The food initiative, known as Proposition 37, is one of 11 statewide measures to go before California voters in November. It would require most processed foods to bear a label by 2014 letting shoppers know if the items contain ingredients derived from plants with DNA altered with genes from other plants, animals, viruses or bacteria.
If the proposal passes, California would be the first state to require labeling of such a wide range of foods containing genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
“It’s an epic food fight between the pesticide companies and consumers who want to know what’s in their food,” said Stacy Malkan, media director for the California Right to Know campaign, which by Monday had amassed about $2.4 million to promote the initiative, largely from consumer advocates, organic farmers, organic food manufacturers and health food retailers.
See also this protest page on facebook, lots of information and links. Show your support, 'like' the page.
Another web site here 'Millions Against Monsanto'
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