California Prop 37 Opponent Funders inadvertently have labeled their own foods as GMO for us!

California Prop 37 Opponent Funders inadvertently have labeled their own foods as GMO for us!

Good to know, since California fails to protect us - votes no on Prop 37

California, known for being well ahead of the curve in protecting our health, failed to pass Proposition 37 – which required labeling GMO foods.

As of Wednesday morning, 94.8% of California’s Election Day votes have been counted. Here’s where Prop 37 vote totals stand (from the California Secretary of State):

·       ·        Yes (support GMO labeling) – 4,194793 (47%)

·       ·        No (oppose GMO labeling) – 4,723,681 (53%)

“Nationwide polls consistently show around 90% of Americans support GMO labeling, and a month ago California polls showed over 60% supported labeling.” So how could this happen?

It appears that enough Californians were swayed by money – I mean commercials.

Video: Vote No on Prop 37 commercial

Then, large food conglomerates pooled their funds to oppose to the measure and outspent the citizens Right to Know campaign nearly 6-to-1 ($45 million to $8 million).

Here is the list of the top donors that opposed labeling:

Company                                                 Amount

MONSANTO COMPANY                                  $8,112,069
E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO.                  $5,400,000
PEPSICO, INC.                                             $2,145,400
GROCERY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION    $2,002,000
BASF PLANT SCIENCE                                  $2,000,000
BAYER CROPSCIENCE                                  $2,000,000
DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC                            $2,000,000
SYNGENTA CORPORATION                           $2,000,000
KRAFT FOODS GLOBAL, INC.                       $1,950,500
NESTLE USA, INC.                                      $1,461,600
COCA-COLA NORTH AMERICA                      $1,455,500
GENERAL MILLS, INC.                                 $1,230,300
CONAGRA FOODS                                       $1,176,700
KELLOGG COMPANY                                      $790,700
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.                               $683,900
DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY                        $674,100
CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY                           $598,000

Supporters of what was originally a grassroots effort are, not surprisingly, individuals, natural health companies, organics food companies and family farms: Mercola.com, Organic Consumers Fund, Kent Whealy, Nature’s Paths Foods Inc. Fine Natural Food Products, The Stillonger Trust, Dr. Bonners Magic Soaps, Lundburg Family FarmsGreat Foods of America, Alex Bogusky (Fearless Revolution), Amy’s Kitchen, Big Hen Group, Clif Bar, Cropp Cooperative Inc. Organic Vally, Ali Partovi, Organic Consumers Association.

Sources:  (An important note - articles seem to deceivingly use pictures of tomatoes. Most if not all tomatoes are definitely hybrids, but very unlikely to be GMOs.)

http://www.examiner.com/article/ca-prop-37-gmo-food-labeling-initiative-defeated

http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/11/prop-37-to-label-gmo-foods-fails-in-california-2491888.html

http://www.kcet.org/news/ballotbrief/elections2012/propositions/prop-37-funding-genetically-engineered-food.html

Heather J. Kirk