Monsanto Gives $4.2M to Kill California GMO Initiative

By CnAgri2012-08-17 19:56:51 Print

New campaign finance reports reveal that Monsanto Co. just contributed $4.2 million to defeat Proposition 37, which would require labeling of genetically engineered food. That is the largest contribution in the race. Total contributions to defeat Proposition 37 amount to $25 million, and nearly $23 million during the last week.

Other major new contributions against Proposition 37 were given by E. I. Dupont de Nemours ($1,273,600), Dow Agrosciences ($1,184,800) and PepsiCo ($1,126,079).

"The giant pesticide and food companies are afraid of the mothers and grandmothers who want the right to know what's in our food," said Stacy Malkan, media director of California Right to Know. "These companies will try to buy the election, but it won't work. California moms and dads will prevail over Monsanto and Dupont."

Thus far, the "Big 6" pesticide companies (Monsanto, Dow, BASF, Bayer, Syngenta and DuPont) have contributed $13.5 million to defeat Proposition 37.

Of the 20 largest contributors to the No on 37 campaign, only one (Nestle USA) is from a company based in California. And even Nestle USA is a subsidiary of the Swiss food conglomerate Nestle S.A.

To date, total contributions against Proposition 37 are approximately $25 million.