|
|
 
|
Expect the biotech industry to work furiously against labeling measure by Craig Winters
(Friday, Sept. 27, 2002 -- CropChoice guest commentary) --When passed into law, Measure 27 will require the labeling of
genetically engineered foods in the state of Oregon.
We expect the opposition's major advertising blitz financed by Monsanto
and the so-called "Coalition Against the Costly Labeling Law" to begin
any day now. They have already sent out mailings and have launched a web
site at: http://www.votenoon27.com
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Monsanto and the coalition are
planning to spend $6 million in an effort to defeat Oregon's Measure 27.
(Monsanto's headquarters is located in St. Louis, Missouri.)
http://www.thecampaign.org/News/sept02t.htm#battles
$6 million is a huge amount of money to spend in a state the size of
Oregon for an initiative. Let's put this amount of money in perspective:
Most members of the House of Representatives running for office in the
state of Oregon spend far less than $1 million to get elected. According
to The Center for Responsive Politics, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden spent
$3,447,625 on campaign expenditures between 1997-2002. Oregon Senator
Gordon Smith spent $3,737,215 between 1997-2002.
http://www.opensecrets.org
The planned expenditure of $6 million by Monsanto and associates is
evidence of the importance of this showdown in Oregon over the future of
genetically engineered foods.
The effort in Oregon will be a classic David and Goliath battle. It is
pitting the special interest power of a few big corporations against the
will of the people. The people will win unless the propaganda from the
other side works. Their strategy is to try to convince Oregon voters
that the price of their foods will go up if Measure 27 is passed into
law. They also argue that genetically engineered foods are safe and
therefore need no special labeling.
There is an impressive group of people working on our side to counter
the misinformation campaign that is coming from Monsanto and their
coalition. The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods has teamed
up with Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the Organic Consumers Association and
other organizations to offer support to Oregon Concerned Citizens for
Safe Foods, the political action committee that spearheaded Measure 27.
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods designed the web site
for Oregon Concerned Citizens for Safe Foods at http://www.labelgefoods.com.
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods (http://www.thecampaign.orgis also creating
another web site designed to counter the propaganda that the "Coalition
Against the Costly Labeling Law" is perpetrating on the Oregon voters.
We expect to have this special web site launched by next week.
Posted below are two editorials from Oregon newspapers regarding
Measure 27.
The first editorial is from The Oregonian opposing Measure 27. The
Oregonian is a conservative newspaper and their opposition to Measure 27
is not a big surprise. When you read the lengthy Oregonian editorial,
you will notice it sounds like it was written by someone from the
biotech industry. It states that genetically engineered is "precise" and
that "There's no evidence that the resulting foods are harmful."
If you want to communicate with the editorial staff of The Oregonian,
their contact information is listed at the bottom of the editorial.
The second editorial is from the Corvallis Gazette-Times. This editorial
supports passage of Measure 27 and is titled "Food label measure a
no-brainer!" The article states, "We're looking forward to the campaign
against Measure 27 because we can't see an ethical basis for not
supporting such common-sense legislation. We only wish the federal Food
and Drug Administration had done its job and made this an industry
requirement before consumers had to take the initiative."
Our sentiments exactly! Bravo!
Corvallis is the home of Oregon State University, an institution that
receives considerable money for agricultural biotech research. So this
endorsement is significant and will hopefully influence some other
newspapers in the state as they determine whether to support or oppose
Measure 27.
Thanks again for supporting our efforts in Oregon. A successful outcome
will have a huge impact in moving forward the federal labeling
legislation.
Links to the two editorials
| |
