Cali Prop 37

   California voters had to battle dirty corporate tricks in attempt to make GMO labeling mandatory in their state. Sadly, this important effort was shot down on Election Day in November due to the nearly $46 million spent by companies like Monsanto, PepsiCo, Bayer, Nestle, DuPont and ConAgra Foods to oppose the bill. Supporters say that any hope in this incredible move for a democratic debate was drowned in a sea of money spent on a massive advertising campaign aimed to brainwash the public to vote against the measure. 

   Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which now represent 85% of corn and 91% of soybeans grown in the U.S., are abundantly found in many processed foods. Many don’t know it because it is not required to appear on the label. Animal studies shows that GMOs cause massive tumors and sterility within three generations. Mandatory labeling of GM foods must be acquired for public choice and safety. The BioTech industry is presented with the same problem as the Tobacco industry, which is artistically employing the carefully balanced set of dirty tactics necessary to push deadly products while limiting bad publicity and maximizing returns.

   In California, the “No on Prop 37” campaign enjoyed the support of many professors from the University of California at Davis that coincidentally receives millions of dollars from the bio-tech industry, primarily “for research.” The campaign also employed the help of MB Public Affairs, Inc. to help create the false image that corporate influence against the measure was really grassroots efforts, just as they did for former client Phillip Morris. It should be no surprise that these giants of biotechnology will stop at nothing to ensure their GM crops are here to stay. In the diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks it was revealed that U.S. diplomats were conspiring with companies like Monsanto to covertly undermine any efforts opposing GM crops by nations of the European Union. This is why many supporters believe in the very real possibility of vote fraud, particularly because of the premature media reports that the measure was defeated 53.1% to 46.9%, with at least 3.3 million votes still left to count.

   While this battle may have been lost the war most definitely continues. It is highly unlikely that the people of California actually believe that knowing the content of their food is unimportant. It is far more likely and obvious that corporations pay millions to promote the lie, but as more people realize that transparency is the only way to keep deadly poisons out of our food, air, and water, their ability to rig the system will become more and more difficult.