About this iReport
- Posted August 13, 2012 by
- JudsonParker Follow
Location
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Big pesticide and biotech firms spend $10 million to oppose GMO labeling proposition
New campaign finance reports show that a coalition of pesticide, biotech, and processed food companies just contributed nearly $10 million to oppose California Proposition 37, which would require labeling of genetically engineered foods.
According to the California Secretary of State disclosure forms, the largest of these contributions come from Dupont Pioneer ($2,441,500), Bayer Cropscience ($1,064,000) and BASF Plant Science ($996,500). Other contributions include $500,000 each from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle USA, General Mills and ConAgra.
“These corporations are desperate to keep us from finding out what’s really in our food,” said Stacy Malkan, Media Director for California Right to Know. “They will not prevail. This is America. We have the right to know what’s in the food we eat and feed our children.”
The huge contributions from pesticide and seed companies, now topping $7 million with the new donations, shine light on a little known fact about genetically engineered foods.
“Rather than reducing the need for hazardous pesticides, herbicide-resistant seeds have driven a massive increase in herbicide use that has been linked to significant environmental and public health concerns,” explains Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, PhD, senior scientist at Pesticide Action Network, in a statement supporting Proposition 37.
“It’s clear that genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant seeds are the growth engines of the pesticide industry’s sales and marketing strategy. These seeds are part of a technology package explicitly designed to facilitate increased, indiscriminate herbicide use and pump up chemical sales,” said Dr. Ishii-Eiteman.
According to a 2009 report by Chuck Benbrook, PhD, farmers applied 318 million more pounds of pesticides over the first 13 years of commercial GE crop production (1996-2008), as a direct result of planting genetically engineered seeds. “GE crops are pushing pesticide use upward at a rapidly accelerating pace,” wrote Benbrook, chief scientist of the Organic Center, in the report summary.
A full list of donors can be found at: http://www.carighttoknow.org/10_million
According to the California Secretary of State disclosure forms, the largest of these contributions come from Dupont Pioneer ($2,441,500), Bayer Cropscience ($1,064,000) and BASF Plant Science ($996,500). Other contributions include $500,000 each from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestle USA, General Mills and ConAgra.
“These corporations are desperate to keep us from finding out what’s really in our food,” said Stacy Malkan, Media Director for California Right to Know. “They will not prevail. This is America. We have the right to know what’s in the food we eat and feed our children.”
The huge contributions from pesticide and seed companies, now topping $7 million with the new donations, shine light on a little known fact about genetically engineered foods.
“Rather than reducing the need for hazardous pesticides, herbicide-resistant seeds have driven a massive increase in herbicide use that has been linked to significant environmental and public health concerns,” explains Marcia Ishii-Eiteman, PhD, senior scientist at Pesticide Action Network, in a statement supporting Proposition 37.
“It’s clear that genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant seeds are the growth engines of the pesticide industry’s sales and marketing strategy. These seeds are part of a technology package explicitly designed to facilitate increased, indiscriminate herbicide use and pump up chemical sales,” said Dr. Ishii-Eiteman.
According to a 2009 report by Chuck Benbrook, PhD, farmers applied 318 million more pounds of pesticides over the first 13 years of commercial GE crop production (1996-2008), as a direct result of planting genetically engineered seeds. “GE crops are pushing pesticide use upward at a rapidly accelerating pace,” wrote Benbrook, chief scientist of the Organic Center, in the report summary.
A full list of donors can be found at: http://www.carighttoknow.org/10_million
- TAGS:
- breaking_news,
- food,
- pesticides,
- safety,
- gmo
What do you think of this story?
Select one of the options below. Your feedback will help tell CNN producers what to do with this iReport. If you'd like, you can explain your choice in the comments below.
Be and editor! Choose an option below:
iReport welcomes a lively discussion, so comments on iReports are not pre-screened before they post. See the iReport community guidelines for details about content that is not welcome on iReport.
© 2013 Cable News Network. 
Comments