by Stacy Malkan
CA Right to Know
New campaign finance reports [1] 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 [2] 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 twenty 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 giant Swiss food conglomerate Nestlé S.A.
To date, total contributions against Proposition 37 are approximately $25 million. Details of the newly reported contributions are below.
| NAME OF CONTRIBUTOR | CITY | STATE/ZIP |
AMOUNT |
| MONSANTO COMPANY | SAINT LOUIS | MO / 63167 |
$4,208,000.00 |
| E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO. | WASHINGTON | DC / 20004 |
$1,273,600.00 |
| DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC | INDIANAPOLIS | IN / 46268 |
$1,184,800.00 |
| PEPSICO, INC. | PURCHASE | NY / 10577 |
$1,126,079.94 |
| NESTLE USA, INC. | GLENDALE | CA / 91203 |
$607,928.61 |
| COCA-COLA NORTH AMERICA | ATLANTA | GA / 30313 |
$603,191.45 |
| BAYER CROPSCIENCE | RESEARCH TRIANGLE PA | NC / 27709 |
$554,400.00 |
| CONAGRA FOODS | OMAHA | NE / 68102 |
$520,101.54 |
| BASF PLANT SCIENCE | RESEARCH TRIANGLE PA | NC / 27709 |
$519,200.00 |
| KELLOGG COMPANY | BATTLE CREEK | MI / 49016 |
$516,952.06 |
| HERSHEY COMPANY | HERSHEY | PA / 17033 |
$283,753.06 |
| HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION | AUSTIN | MN / 55912 |
$260,243.61 |
| SYNGENTA CORPORATION | WASHINGTON | DC / 20006 |
$260,000.00 |
| OCEAN SPRAY CRANBERRIES, INC. | LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO | MA / 02349 |
$199,506.32 |
| PINNACLE FOODS GROUP LLC | PARSIPPANY | NJ / 07054 |
$191,107.80 |
| DEAN FOODS COMPANY | DALLAS | TX / 75204 |
$182,381.90 |
| MCCORMICK & COMPANY, INC. | SPARKS | MD / 21152 |
$178,252.37 |
| RICH PRODUCTS CORPORATION | BUFFALO | NY / 14213 |
$160,123.18 |
| CARGILL, INC. | WAYZATA | MN / 55391 |
$143,575.49 |
| MORTON SALT | CHICAGO | IL / 60606 |
$14,879.01 |
| INVENTURE FOODS, INC. | PHOENIX | AZ / 85054 |
$10,846.39 |
| HOUSE-AUTRY MILLS, INC. | FOUR OAKS | NC / 27524 |
$1,077.27 |
Total |
$13,000,000.00 |
Thus far, the twenty largest contributors to the No on 37 campaign are below.
| MONSANTO COMPANY | SAINT LOUIS | MO / 63167 |
$4,208,000.00 |
| E.I. DUPONT DE NEMOURS & CO. | WASHINGTON | DC / 20004 |
$4,025,200.00 |
| PEPSICO, INC. | PURCHASE | NY / 10577 |
$1,716,300.00 |
| BASF PLANT SCIENCE | RESEARCH TRIANGLE PA | NC / 27709 |
$1,642,300.00 |
| BAYER CROPSCIENCE | RESEARCH TRIANGLE PA | NC / 27709 |
$1,618,400.00 |
| DOW AGROSCIENCES LLC | INDIANAPOLIS | IN / 46268 |
$1,184,800.00 |
| NESTLE USA, INC. | GLENDALE | CA / 91203 |
$1,169,400.00 |
| COCA-COLA NORTH AMERICA | ATLANTA | GA / 30313 |
$1,164,400.00 |
| CONAGRA FOODS | OMAHA | NE / 68102 |
$1,076,700.00 |
| SYNGENTA CORPORATION | WASHINGTON | DC / 20006 |
$821,300.00 |
| KELLOGG COMPANY | BATTLE CREEK | MI / 49016 |
$632,500.00 |
| GENERAL MILLS, INC. | GOLDEN VALLEY | MN / 55426 |
$519,401.17 |
| HERSHEY COMPANY | HERSHEY | PA / 17033 |
$395,100.00 |
| THE J.M. SMUCKER COMPANY | ORRVILLE | OH / 44667 |
$388,000.00 |
| COUNCIL FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY INFORMATION | WASHINGTON | DC / 20024 |
$375,000.00 |
| GROCERY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION | WASHINGTON | DC / 20005 |
$375,000.00 |
| HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION | AUSTIN | MN / 55912 |
$374,300.00 |
| BIMBO BAKERIES USA | HORSHAM | PA / 19044 |
$338,300.00 |
| OCEAN SPRAY CRANBERRIES, INC. | LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO | MA / 02349 |
$301,553.21 |
| PINNACLE FOODS GROUP LLC | PARSIPPANY | NJ / 07054 |
$266,100.00 |
Read the full news release here: http://www.carighttoknow.org/monsanto_gives_4_2_million_to_kill_california_gmo_labeling_initiative [3]