Big Food's mobilization against California's
right-to-know law is making more green-minded consumers aware of the companies
that own their favorite brands.
National brand-name conglomerates are in a bind over
California's Right to Know Genetically Modified Food Act, a measure known as
Proposition 37. Actually, it's a double bind.
First, these gigantic food companies are frantically scrambling
to defeat this citizens initiative, which would establish a state right-to-know
labeling requirement on any food made with genetically engineered ingredients.
Fearing that its consumers will
reject products containing the newfangled stuff, Big Food wants to keep such
contents a secret. Since the California market is huge, the state's adoption of
a labeling law would have national ramifications. The $35 million
corporate PR campaign against
Prop. 37 should come as no surprise.
But many consumers did get a surprise. This media blitz
accidentally revealed who actually runs those eco-friendly brands that
green-minded consumers prefer. Many multinational companies have quietly bought
up dozens of popular organic food firms in recent years without putting their
names on the labels. That way, customers could easily be duped into thinking
the organic brands are still scrappy independent businesses.
Now, though, the public is learning that those whole-grain Kashi
cereals and crackers are made by a subsidiary of Kellogg, which is spending a
ton to defeat Prop. 37. And that General Mills owns Muir Glen, a top producer
of canned organic tomatoes. And Dean Foods, a huge "conventional"
dairy company, owns Horizon organic milk.
General Mills and Dean Foods are joined in this spending spree
to restrict consumer choice by such giant deceivers as Coca-Cola, ConAgra,
Hershey, Hormel, Nestlé, Ocean Spray, PepsiCo, Campbell's Soup, and Sara Lee.
Perhaps the oddest wrinkle in this twisted plot is that some of
these Big Food organic subsidiaries already tell consumers on their labels that
they their make their products without any genetically modified
ingredients.
To keep up with California's campaign for clearer food labeling,
visit www.caRightToKnow.org.
Jim Hightower is a radio commentator, writer, and
public speaker. He's also editor of the populist newsletter, The
Hightower Lowdown.
Distributed via OtherWords (OtherWords.org)
Distributed via OtherWords (OtherWords.org)