When You Learn What They’re Up to Now, You Too Will Want to Boycott
Monsanto and GMA
May 27, 2014
Story at-a-glance
On May 8, Vermont passed the first no-strings-attached GMO
labeling law. The following day, the Grocery Manufacturers
Association (GMA) confirmed it will sue the state to get the
law overturned
This is the second time in mere months that the Grocery
Manufacturers Association (GMA) is suing a state for the
right to keep consumers in the dark
So far, between 2012 and 2014, the GMA have successfully
blocked GMO labeling legislation in over 30 states, at a
price tag of more than $100 million, paid for by its members
It’s time to unite and fight back. We encourage you to
boycott every single product owned by members of the GMA,
including natural and organic brands
To defeat the GMA lawsuit against Vermont, money must be
raised for legal assistance to the state. We must also
intensify any and all efforts to educate others and put
pressure on the marketplace
By Dr. Mercola
On April 16, the Vermont Senate passed the first
no-strings-attached GMO labeling bill (H.112) by an overwhelming
margin.1
On May 8, Governor Peter Shumlin signed the historic bill into law.
The law will require food manufacturers to label genetically
engineered (GE) foods sold in Vermont, and prohibits them from
labeling foods with GE ingredients as "natural" or "all natural."
The Burlington Free Press2
recently ran an excellent article on how the Vermont GMO labeling
bill was won. I would highly encourage you to read it, to get a
real-world view of just how effective a grassroots campaign can be.
Ultimately, it boils down to letting your representatives know
what you want. Long before the bill passed through the legislative
branches, Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
had openly threatened to sue, should Vermont pass such a law.
Still, despite these threats, Vermont legislators realized that
their constituents were serious about wanting GE foods labeled, and
they voted accordingly. As expected, on May 9 the GMA confirmed it
will indeed sue Vermont in federal court, in an effort to overturn
H.112. According to a recent update by Ronnie Cummins,3
National Director for the Organic Consumers Association (OCA):
"Vermont is prepared to fight back. The state has already
established a 'food fight' legal defense fund. Legal analysts
say Vermont will likely win.
Vermont isn't the only state up against the multi-billion
dollar lobbying group. The GMA, whose 300-plus members include
Monsanto and Dow, Coca-Cola and General Mills, is pushing a bill
in Congress that would preempt all states from passing GMO
labeling laws.4
[Editor's note: The "Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of
2014,"5
dubbed "DARK" (Denying Americans the right to know) Act.]
It's time for consumers in every state to band together
to defeat the GMA's full-on assault, not only on Vermont, not
only on consumers' right to know what's in our food, but on
states' rights and on our basic freedoms to protect our health
and our communities."
Second Time GMA Sues for Right to Keep Secrets from You
This is the second time in mere months that the Grocery
Manufacturers Association (GMA) is suing a state for the right to
pull the wool over your eyes. During the Washington labeling
campaign, the GMA got
caught in a money laundering scheme aimed at protecting the
identity (and hence the reputation) of members who donated funds to
the anti-labeling campaign.6
The GMA was forced to reveal the donors to the aggressive
anti-labeling campaign,7
but shortly thereafter it sued the state of Washington, arguing they
should be allowed to hide their donors—which is a direct
violation of state campaign disclosure laws—in order to "speak with
one voice" for the interests of the food industry.8
Since then, the GMA has again removed its online membership list.
Clearly, there's a concerted effort to hide who is behind this
radical front group. You can still find the cached members list on
web.archive.org,9
however.
I recently named the GMA "the
most evil corporation on the planet," considering the fact that
it consists primarily of pesticide producers and junk food
manufacturers who are going to great lengths to violate some of your
most basic rights—just to ensure that subsidized, genetically
engineered and chemical-dependent, highly processed junk food
remains the status quo.
The primary GE crops grown in the US are corn, soy, and sugar
beets, and the primary ingredients in processed food are high
fructose corn syrup (HFCS), hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans
fats), and refined sugar. Add in all the pesticides and hazardous
fertilizers used in this chemical agriculture system, and you have
the perfect formula for environmental destruction, disease, and
premature death.
This is the business model the GMA is protecting, and labeling GE
foods will surely severely cripple it. This is why the GMA
is willing to resort to everything, from illegal money laundering
schemes to irrational and wholly ludicrous lawsuits arguing for "the
right" to violate disclosure laws.
Your health, your rights to make your own decisions, and your
financial wellbeing have absolutely nothing to do with the
GMAs objections to GMO labeling. They're not protecting you from
confusion, unnecessary complexities, or higher prices. They're
protecting their own profits, and those profits depend on
widespread consumer ignorance.
History Being Made in Oregon: Two Counties Vote to Ban Genetically
Engineered Crops
In addition to Vermont’s GMO labeling bill, against all odds we
also defeated the pesticide producers and those that patent life in
a historic vote in Jackson County, Oregon. There, residents have now
voted to outright ban the growing of genetically engineered crops.
The measure passed with 66 percent of the votes. This despite the
fact that proponents for the ban raised only $375,000, while the
opposition raised nearly $1 million.10
As reported by ABC News:11
“With most of the ballots counted in Tuesday's all-mail
election, Jackson County voters approved the measure by a 2-to-1
margin. A similar, lower-profile measure in neighboring
Josephine County led 58 percent to 42 percent with nearly
two-thirds of expected ballots counted...”
'The voters here have many generations of fruit and
vegetable growing, so they're among the most educated voters,'
said Chuck Burr, president of the Southern Oregon Seed Growers
Association. 'The opposition spent a million dollars and
couldn't convince the people.'
The outcome, however, won't start an immediate trend in
Oregon because Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill last fall that
prohibits local governments from regulating genetically
engineered crops. An exception was made for Jackson County
because its measure had already qualified for the ballot.
Despite the bill, opponents of GMOs in Josephine County went
ahead with their own measure, saying they'll let the courts
decide if the vote is valid.
The banning of GMO crops in Jackson County is a pivotal win; one
that moves beyond labeling and protects the entire food-to-consumer
principle. As we move closer to changing the health paradigm, and
people become more aware of the intrinsic connection between the
food they eat and their health, we’ll begin to see a regeneration of
health across the board. While it may be in its infancy, the
decision taken in Jackson County is symbolic of what the future
holds, and the important part we play in advancing the basic
principles of health and the sanctity of life. As noted by Ronnie
Cummins:12
“The passing of these two GMO bans in Jackson and
Josephine Counties should send a clear signal to politicians
that citizens not only reject unregulated and hazardous GMOs,
but are willing to defy the indentured politicians who pass
laws, like Oregon’s S.B. 863, that take away county rights to
ban GMOs and obliterate a 100-year tradition of home rule and
balance of powers between counties and the state.
This is a tremendous victory for the citizens of these
two counties, and for the farmers who are determined to fight
the threat of unwanted contamination by GMO crops. It is also a
victory for the national anti-GMO movement as it builds momentum
for similar bans in counties in other states.
The margins of victory for these two measures also bode
well for passing Oregon’s
Ballot Initiative #44 in November 2014, a statewide ballot
measure to require mandatory labeling of GMO foods and foods
containing GMO ingredients, sold at retail. And finally, these
victories make it clear to agribusiness giants like Monsanto and
Dow that the day has come when they can no longer buy and lie
their way to victory.”
The Great Boycott Is Here
The insanity has gone far enough. It’s time to unite and fight
back, which is why I join Ronnie Cummins in his encouragement to
boycott every single product owned by members of the GMA,
including natural and organic brands. The victories in Vermont and
Oregon clearly shows that you have the power to incite great change.
In this case, you can help change the food system by taking decisive
action with your food dollars.
"We flood their Facebook pages, tarnish their brand
names. We pressure financial institutions, pension funds and
mutual funds to divest from Monsanto and the other GMA
companies. Our motto for Monsanto and GMA products must become:
Don't buy them. Don't sell them. Don't grow them. And don't let
your financial institution, university, church, labor union or
pension fund invest in them," Cummins writes.13
"As soon as the GMA files a lawsuit against Vermont, the
Organic Consumers Association, joined by a growing coalition of
public interest groups, will launch a boycott and divestment
campaign directed against all of the 300 GMA companies and their
thousands of brand name products—including foods, beverages,
seeds, home and garden supplies, pet food, herbicides and
pesticides."
So far, between 2012 and 2014, Monsanto and the GMA have
successfully blocked GMO labeling legislation in over 30 states, at
a price tag of more than $100 million!
These funds were received from the 300+ members of the GMA, which
include chemical/pesticide, GE seed, and processed food industries.
Together, these industries are working in a symbiotic fashion to
grow, subsidize, and manufacture foods that have been clearly linked
to growing obesity and chronic disease epidemics. As noted by Ronnie
Cummins:
"Until now the GMA colossus has ruled, not only in
Washington DC, but in all 50 states. But now that Vermont has
passed a trigger-free GMO labeling law, and Oregon is poised to
do the same in November, the balance of power has shifted.
Monsanto, the GMA and their allies are in panic mode.
Because they know that when companies are forced to label or
remove GMOs, and also are forced to drop the fraudulent practice
of labeling GE-tainted foods as 'natural' or 'all natural,' in
one state, they will have to do it in every state. Just as
they've been forced to do in Europe, where mandatory GMO
labeling has been in effect since 1997."
Are You Supporting Those Who Have Repeatedly Taken a Stand
Against Your Health and Right to Know?
To defeat the GMA lawsuit against Vermont, money must be raised
for legal assistance to the state. We must also intensify any and
all efforts to educate others and put pressure on the marketplace to
quell the GMAs radical power grabs. To this end, please make a
donation to the Organic Consumers Fund today.
Other ways you can help is by refusing to invest in GMA member
companies—even if indirectly through retirement and mutual funds.
With enough pressure, we can pressure institutional investors like
Fidelity, Vanguard, and State Street to dump the stocks they have in
these companies. Moreover, we need to boycott ALL of the 300
companies who are still members of the GMA. Combined, they produce
more than 6,000 brand name products, and all of these products are
on the boycott list. This includes:
Foods
Beverages
Seeds
Home and garden supplies
Pet foods
Herbicides and pesticides for home and professional use
This may seem as a monstrously difficult task... but if we work
together and individually make an effort, collectively we can do it.
There are 400 million Americans, and each person makes multiple
purchasing and investment decisions each and every day of the year.
Every action you take from here on counts. Pro-organic consumer
groups will also launch programs placing emphasis on boycotting
"Traitor Brands," meaning natural and organic brands that are
actually owned by members of the pro-GMO GMA. As noted by Cummins:
"Health-conscious and green-minded consumers often
inadvertently support the GMA when they buy brands like Honest
Tea, Kashi, Odwalla and others whose parent companies, all
members of the GMA, have donated millions to defeat GMO labeling
initiatives in California (Prop 37) and Washington State
(I-522)."
As a sign of solidarity, please sign the Boycott Pledge now.
Traitor Brands
While I cannot list all of them here, some of the 50 "natural"
and/or organic Traitor Brands targeted by this boycott include those
listed below. The reason for not focusing the boycott on
the conventional parent companies is because pro-organic
health-conscious consumers rarely buy Coca-Cola, Diet Pepsi, or
sugary breakfast cereals to begin with. The only way to really put
pressure on these parent companies is by avoiding the brands they
market to organic consumers; the brands you actually typically buy.
"Let's be clear. Junk Food and beverage companies who are
members of the GMA are gobbling up organic and 'natural' brands
because they recognize the huge profit potential in the
fast-growing organic and natural markets. They want our
business. If we stop buying their brands, they know there's a
good chance we'll find alternative brands. And we might never
look back," Cummins writes.
Natural/Organic Traitor Brand
Owned By/Parent company
IZZE
PepsiCo
Naked Juice
PepsiCo
Simply Frito-Lay
PepsiCo
Starbucks Frappuccino
PepsiCo
Honest Tea
Coca-Cola
Odwalla
Coca-Cola
Gerber Organic
Nestle
Sweet Leaf tea
Nestle
Boca Burgers
Kraft/Mondelez
Green and Black's
Kraft/Mondelez
Cascadian Farm
General Mills
Larabar
General Mills
Muir Glen
General Mills
Alexia
ConAgra
Pam organic cooking sprays
ConAgra
Bear Naked
Kelloggs
Gardenburger
Kelloggs
Kashi
Kelloggs
Morningstar Farms
Kelloggs
Plum Organics
Campbells
Wolfgang Puck organic soups
Campbells
RW Knudsen
Smuckers
Santa Cruz Organic
Smuckers
Smuckers Organic
Smuckers
Dagoba
Hersheys
Earthgrain bread
Bimbo Bakeries
Simply Asia
McCormick
Thai Kitchen
McCormick
Nine Additional Ways to Take Your Power Back
In addition to not buying Traitor Brand foods or beverages (even
if they're certified organic), here are nine ways you can take power
back from the corporate bullies that make up the Grocery
Manufacturers Association:
Stop buying all non-organic processed
foods. Instead, build your diet around whole,
unprocessed foods, especially raw fruits and vegetables, and
healthy fats from coconut oil, avocadoes, organic pastured meat,
dairy and eggs, and raw nuts
Buy most of your foods from your local farmer's
market and/or organic farm
Cook most or all your meals at home using whole,
organic ingredients
Frequent restaurants that serve organic,
cooked-from-scratch, local food. Many restaurants,
especially chain restaurants (Chipotlé is a rare exception), use
processed foods made by GMA members for their meals
Buy only heirloom, open-pollinated, and/or organic
seeds for your garden. This includes both decorative
plants and edibles
Boycott all lawn and garden chemicals (fertilizers,
pesticides, etc.) unless they are "OMRI Approved," which means
they are allowed in organic production. If you use a
lawn service, make sure they're using OMRI Approved products as
well
Become an avid label reader. If a GMA
member company owns the product, no matter what it is, don't buy
it
Download the
Buycott app14
for your smartphone, which allows you to scan products to find
out if they're part of the boycott before you buy them
Join the Organic Consumers Association's new campaign, "Buy Organic Brands that
Support Your Right to Know"
Vote with Your Pocketbook, Every Day
The food companies on the left of this graphic spent tens of
millions of dollars in the last two labeling campaigns—in California
and Washington State–to prevent you from knowing what’s in your
food. You can even the score by switching to the brands on the
right; all of whom stood behind the I-522 Right to Know campaign.
Voting with your pocketbook, at every meal, matters. It makes a huge
difference. By boycotting GMA member Traitor Brands, you can help
level the playing field, and help take back control of our food
supply.
I encourage you to continue educating yourself about genetically
engineered foods, and to share what you’ve learned with family and
friends. Remember, unless a food is certified organic, you can
assume it contains GMO ingredients if it contains sugar from sugar
beets, soy, or corn, or any of their derivatives.
Copyright 1997- 2014 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.