Voters in Colorado and Oregon are being asked if they want
to force food companies to label products that contain genetically-modified
ingredients, such as Roundup-Ready corn and soybeans.
Farmers and agriculture groups are just bit players in the
$11 million campaign to defeat Proposition 105, reports Associated Press news
service.
“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,” AP says.
Hormel Foods, Kraft Foods, Kellogg Co. and The Hershey Co.
are also outspending farm groups to fight the proposal. Food companies are
pouring big money into fighting a similar ballot measure in Oregon, AP says.
"We're not saying GMOs are bad. We're saying we want
them to be labeled," said Tammi DeVille Merrell, campaign manager for
Right To Know Colorado, which has raised less than $500,000 and has no TV or
radio ads to promote its campaign.
