Labeling of GMOs is a Dumb Idea

a reply to: Phage

Just wanted to post an updated list.

I, for one, go to great lengths to avoid or just don't eat packaged and processed foods that contain mystery ingredients even more questionable as nutrition sources than many GMOs are. I can also pretty much tell what fruits and vegetables they've messed with to the point of where it barely behaves like a fruit or vegetable because I have the advantage of being older and remembering what real and homegrown foods like this looked and tasted like.

But I would still like to know where and how what I do consume is grown, and I don't want to have to pay more for this.

How many countries are not labeling? Well the U.S. for one...thanks in large part to powerful lobbyists and the gutless, greedy politicians they bribe and threaten.

[Source of graphic above and text below]

Washington State, 2013:

GMO Labeling Ballot Initiative (I-522) would mandate clear labeling of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients on food packages. The bill will be voted on in Washington State Nov. 5, 2013. Those companies who are fighting genetic labeling, and money they have spent on the 'No on 522' campaign are:

Monsanto = $4,834,000.
DuPont = $3,420,000.
PepsiCo Inc. = $1,600,000.
Coca-Cola = $1,047,000.
Nestle USA = $1,052,000.
General Mills = $598,800.
Bayer CropScience = $592,000.
Dow Agrosciences = $592,000.
BASF Plant Science = $500,000.
ConAgra Foods = $286,000.
Campbell Soup Co. = $265,000.
Hershey Company = $248,000.
Kellogg Co. = $222,000.
Land O’ Lakes = $100,000.
Cargill & Co. = $99,000.
Bimbo Bakeries (Sara Lee and Ball Park) = $94,000.
Del Monte = $86,000.
Ocean Spray Cranberries = $55,000.
Hormel Foods = $53,000.

California 2012
Companies and their donations to keep GMO off of labels in California:

Ironically most of the companies lobbying against Prop 37 have a stake in the organic industry. See that list below, it might surprise you.

Monsanto = $7,100,000.
DuPont = $5,200,000.
PepsiCo Inc. = $2,500,000.
BASF Plant Science = $2,000,000.
Bayer CropScience = $2,000,000.
Dow Agrosciences = $2,000,000.
Syngenta Corp = $2,000,000.
Kraft Foods = $2,000,000.
Coca-Cola = $1,700,000.
Nestle USA = $1,315,400.
ConAgra Foods = $1,200,000.
General Mills = $1,200,000.
Del Monte = $674,000.
Kellogg Co. = $790,700.
Smithfield = $671,000.
Council for Biotechnology Information = $625,000.
Heinz = $500,000.
Hershey Company = $493,900.
J.M. Smucker Co. = $555,000.
Grocery Manufacturers Association = $375,000.
Hormel Foods Corp. = $374,300.
Unilever = $ 460,000.
Mars Food North America = $370,280.
Bimbo Bakeries USA = $422,900.
Ocean Spray Cranberries = $326,500.
Campbell Soup Co. = $320,455.
Pinnacle Foods Group LLC = $266,100.
Dean Foods Co. = $253,950.
Biotech Industry Organization = $250,000.
McCormick & Co. Inc. = $248,200.
Abbott Nutrition (Infant Formulas / Similac) = $230,900.
Rich Products Corp. = $225,500.
Cargill Inc. = $226,800.
Welch's = $167,000.
Knouse Foods Cooperative = $160,300.
W.M. Wrigley Jr. Co. = $116,900.
Sunny Delight Beverages Co. = $114,500.
Tree Top = $110,300.
Bumble Bee Foods = $98,000.
Sara Lee Corp. = $96,800.
Hillshire Brands (Ball Park, Jimmy Dean) = $86,000.
McCain Foods USA = $50,600.
Dole Packaged Foods Co. = $45,580.
Goya = $ 56,100.
Clorox = $33,000.
S & W = $21,100.

BASF, Bayer and Syngenta are subsidiaries of foreign pesticide companies.

The same thing is happening now in Colorado with prop 105. Big, big spending.

The real money is coming from biotechnology giant Monsanto Co., which has given more than $4.7 million, and food giants like Pepsico and Coca-Cola, which sent a combined $1.9 million to fighting the proposal.
...
More than $1 billion dollars will likely be spent on campaigns this year for ballot measures, according to the Center for Public Integrity. That's more than the Republican and Democratic parties have raised collectively this cycle. [Source]

Returning to the how many countries question, the rest of the ones that do not label may outnumber the ones that so far do about 2:1, but that's not really any kind of point because I'd venture to guess that the vast majority of the other countries not labeling are either lucky to have food at all, don't lose track of where their food comes from, grow more or their own or don't eat a lot of processed crap (yet), or just don't yet have GMO foods (yet).

As for the cliff thing? Depends on how fun it looked and what I calculated my risks of survival at.

One last thing or two to add, if companies are claiming they lose track of what goes into their products, as you mentioned way back in the thread, do you really want to eat their crap?

And that thing about just slapping the "May contain GMO (erm) food" label on everything is just childish. Who I don't want to slap that particular label on is me or mine.

Thanks for listening.

a reply to: Grimpachi

It has been said that it is the consumers that are responsible for keeping certain business afloat. One big reason I am against GMO is because of the lobby and influence they have on our government.

How do you propose people to fight back against them if they do not know what products are gmo?

a reply to: ~Lucidity

One last thing or two to add, if companies are claiming they lose track of what goes into their products, as you mentioned way back in the thread, do you really want to eat their crap?

It doesn't really concern me that much. There are methods to help ensure food safety which are quite effective. Not foolproof however but then, neither is the "organic" system.
www.foodsafetynews.com...

And that thing about just slapping the "May contain GMO (erm) food" label on everything is just childish. Who I don't want to slap that particular label on is me or mine.

Then it would seem to be more helpful to look for a label which says "no GM" rather than one that says "may contain GM." Because, with mandatory labeling, you would have a very hard time finding a product (containing soy, or corn, canola, or sugar beets) which does not carry that label. But then, you don't buy processed foods anyway, right?

a reply to: Phage

Yes, maybe safe, but not necessarily nutritious, but that's a whole other topic.

And agreed about the no GM label. At this point that would probably be a lot easier. With luck the pendulum will swing the other way.

~Lucidity



Your post at the top of this page is an eye-popper to say the least, lots of money flying around I see.
Good information and thanks for providing it.

Regards, Iwinder