Chemical and agribusiness powerhouse Dow Chemical and the Grocery Manufacturers Association have just poured another $5.5 million to defeat the I-522 campaign—the state ballot initiative to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) foods in the state of Washington—bringing the total war chest of the opposition up to over $17 million. This is the most money ever devoted to a ballot initiative in Washington state. The initiative will be on the ballot in the upcoming general election in November.
The food and chemical industries’ aggressive tactics in Washington show that the agrichemical industry is staunchly against the public on this issue. Consumers have overwhelmingly called for the labeling of GE foods, yet companies like Monsanto and Dow Chemical, and the big food companies behind the Grocery Manfuacturers Association, are committed to withholding that information and denying consumers a choice. We can’t let that happen. Will you pitch in $10 today to support our efforts to label genetically engineered food in Washington?
The same agrichemical and food companies spent over $45 million dollars on a misleading campaign in California to defeat Proposition 37, and only won with a narrow 3 percent margin. It appears they will attempt the same big spend strategy in Washington; anything to deny the public of their basic right to know. We need your financial support to make sure what happened in California doesn’t happen in Washington!
Agrichemical companies are running scared. And they should be. There is a reason that a chemical company is spending millions of dollars on a campaign on food labeling. Millions of dollars to keep you in the dark is nothing compared to the billions made from contaminating our food and environment with pesticides.
Washington is on track to be the first state to implement GE food labeling, should the initiative pass. Connecticut and Maine each passed GE labeling laws this past spring, but both bills include a trigger clause requiring several other states to also pass labeling bills before the new laws can be implemented.
We have to pass labeling in Washington – and the first step is raising the money we need to fight back against the millions of corporate special interest dollars that are already flooding the state. Can you donate $10 right now to help us fight back against these corporate giants?
Your help will give us the resources we need to withstand the attacks and win in the November election. It won’t just be a huge victory for the Washington labeling campaign, but will set off an important chain reaction towards labeling across the country.
Thank you for everything you do,
Andrew Kimbrell
Executive Director, Center for Food Safety Action Fund
PS – Every dollar you give will help Washington get closer to getting mandatory labeling of GE food on the books. Please give as generously as you can to this important effort.
