The biotech industry's $5.2 million campaign was successful in
defeating Measure 27, the Oregon state initiative to label genetically
engineered foods. The Measure was defeated with a 73 percent "no"
to a 27 percent "yes" vote.
Posted below is an article from Reuters titled "Oregon Genetically
Engineered Food Label Bid Fails."
Before the biotech industry began their multi-million dollar advertising
campaign, polls showed Oregon voters supported Measure 27 by about
a 58 percent "yes" to a 36 percent "no" ratio.
Expensive television, newspaper and radio ads, along with direct
mail, frightened Oregon voters into thinking their monthly grocery
bills were going to increase by over 50 percent if Measure 27 passed.
As a result, the "yes" support fell quickly and never
recovered. The constantly repeated message of increased prices was
an effective scare tactic.
Oregon voters read, heard and saw propaganda from the biotech industry
that was inaccurate. Unfortunately, when people are exposed to inaccurate
information over and over again, they start to believe it. And our
side did not have the budget to reach voters with the true
facts: Measure 27 would have had minimal impact on the price of
their groceries.
However, we did significantly advance our growing effort to label
genetically engineered foods with Measure 27. Most of the leading
newspapers in the United States ran articles on the battle over
labeling in Oregon.
Through this media exposure, many more people in the United States
are now aware that their foods are being genetically engineered.
And the U.S. media finally has this issue on their "radar"
screens, so to speak.
One development that sparked a great deal of media attention was
Paul McCartney's radio commercial supporting Measure 27. McCartney's
support for Measure 27 was reported by Associated Press and that
article was picked up by media all over the world.
I even received an e-mail from a woman in Italy who wanted me to
ask Paul for an autograph for her!
Hopefully Paul McCartney's support will act as an incentive for
other musicians, actors and celebrities to start assisting in our
efforts to get labeling on genetically engineered foods in the United
States.
McCartney informed Oregon voters about genetically engineered foods
stating, "Back in Europe we have that choice. Our food is labeled
and it hasn't increased any costs to the consumer or the farmer."
You can hear the Paul McCartney radio commercial on the special
web site The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods developed
for Oregon Measure 27 at: http://www.voteyeson27.com
A special "Thank You!" goes out to everyone who worked
or contributed in so many different ways to the historic Oregon
Measure 27 effort!
There is a widely acknowledged wisdom in the world of politics
that "All Politics Are Local Politics." With that truth
in mind, The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods is launching
an "All Politics Are Local Politics" drive.
Posted below is a press release that we are sending out to the
national media on Wednesday with the headline "The Campaign
announces "All Politics Are Local Politics" drive in response
to Oregon Measure 27 defeat."
We also have a PDF version of the press release posted at: http://www.thecampaign.org/pr110602.pdf
The Campaign is creating turn-key templates for the drive that
can be used in the following ways:
1) A RESOLUTION that can be introduced in city and county councils.
2) An INITIATIVE that can be introduced in various states that offer
this legal process.
2) A BILL that can be introduced in any state legislature.
Our goal over the next two years is to get hundreds of city and
county resolutions passed in support for labeling of genetically
engineered foods. And we want to get labeling bills introduced in
dozens of states.
Classic grassroots' activism, along with the power of the Internet,
will be the key to success in passing local resolutions and state
legislative bills.
State Initiatives, such as we just had with Measure 27 in Oregon,
are more difficult. They require a lot of organization and money
to be successful.
Initiatives are tentatively planned for several states including
Oregon, Washington, California and Colorado.
It will be very difficult for Monsanto and the other biotech companies
to fight back when there are dozens of states that are moving forward
with legislation and initiatives to label genetically engineered
foods.
The Campaign Mission Statement has not changed. It is still:
"To create a national grassroots consumer campaign for the
purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass legislation
that will require the labeling of genetically engineered foods in
the United States."
Our "All Politics Are Local Politics" drive is designed
to build support for the federal labeling legislation, city by city,
county by county, and state by state.
We expect the "Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act"
will be introduced early in the 108th Congress that convenes at
the end of January. In both the 106th and 107th Congresses, we had
a short period of time to move the legislation forward.
Early introduction of the national labeling legislation in the
108th Congress will definitely benefit our efforts this time around.
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods receives
many inquiries from people who want to do more than just send letters
to their two Senators, their one House Representative and President
Bush. Our new "All Politics Are Local Politics" drive
will provide the tools for them to do more.
By getting grassroots activism going in cities and counties, it
will feed support for state bills and initiatives. And those will
feed support for the federal labeling legislation.
By January 1, 2003, we expect to have the turn-key templates for
the city and county resolutions, the state initiatives and the state
bills. And we will be creating letters and other tools to facilitate
grassroots community action.
It was disappointing that we lost the effort to pass Measure 27
in Oregon. Monsanto and the biotech industry won this battle by
spending millions of dollars.
But this is not over, dear friends. To paraphrase the words of
American Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones, "We have not
yet begun to fight!"
Craig Winters
Executive Director
The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods
The Campaign
PO Box 55699
Seattle, WA 98155
Tel: 425-771-4049
Fax: 603-825-5841
E-mail: mailto:label@thecampaign.org
Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org
Mission Statement: "To create a national grassroots consumer
campaign for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President
to pass legislation that will require the labeling of genetically
engineered foods in the United States."
***************************************************************
Oregon Genetically Engineered Food Label Bid Fails
November 06, 2002 01:01 AM ET
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Oregon voters on Tuesday roundly rejected
a ballot initiative that would have required labels on food containing
genetically engineered material, handing a victory to big food producers
and biotechnology researchers.
Early returns showed more than 73 percent of voters rejecting Measure
27 compared with 27 percent in favor, prompting local media outlets
to declare that the initiative, which would have produced the first
such labeling law in the country, had been defeated.
Campaign finance reports showed the food industry and other opponents
raised more than $5 million to combat the initiative. Much of the
money went to advertisements warning of the higher costs it would
bring to restaurants, grocery stores and school cafeterias.
"Oregonians have resoundingly rejected the efforts of the
proponents of Measure 27 to scare people about the foods they eat,"
said Pat McCormick, spokesman for the Coalition Against the Costly
Labeling Law. "I think it affirms their confidence in (Food
and Drug Administration) regulation of foods in this country."
Genetic modification, in which DNA is transferred from one organism
to another, can boost farm yields, protect against diseases and
provide other benefits. It is used in some 70 percent of processed
food in the United States as well as animal feeds.
Advocates argue GM foods reduce the use of pesticides and chemical
fertilizers, while opponents question the safety of what some have
derisively called "frankenfoods."
Initiative supporters vowed to press the labeling issue, despite
the setback.
"I don't consider it a loss. We may lose this election but
this is just the beginning of a movement here in Oregon and across
the nation," the measure's chief petitioner, Donna Harris,
told Reuters.
***************************************************************
Press Release from The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered
Foods
For immediate release
Contact: Craig Winters, 425-771-4049
The Campaign announces "All Politics Are Local Politics"
drive in response to Oregon Measure 27 defeat
November 6, 2002 - The initiative to label genetically engineered
foods in Oregon, Measure 27, was defeated in the polls. But The
Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods believes the extensive
debate over Measure 27 represents a victory for both the Oregon
and American public. Plans already are being drawn for the next
stage of the battle.
"Several hundred thousand Oregon voters said 'yes' to labeling
genetically engineered foods, even after a massive multi-million
dollar advertising effort by the biotech industry to sway their
votes," says Craig Winters, Executive Director of The Campaign
to Label Genetically Engineered Foods. "This gives weight to
what the national polls have shown for the past several years: Millions
of Americans want genetically engineered foods to be labeled."
"Both the local and national media have run scores of stories
about genetically engineered foods as a result of Measure 27,"
Winters says. "Many more Americans are aware that their foods
are being genetically engineered than before Measure 27."
Winters says the next item on the agenda in the battle to label
genetically engineered foods is a new "All Politics Are Local
Politics" drive. Sponsored by The Campaign, the drive is an
effort to spur action on the grassroots level throughout the country.
"We are creating turn-key templates for city and county resolutions,
state initiatives and state bills. It will be very difficult for
Monsanto and the rest of the biotech industry to fight against grassroots
activism on so many different fronts."
"The reason we lost in Oregon is that the biotech and grocery
industries were focused on this single battle," Winters adds.
"They spent more than $5 million to defeat Measure 27. We don't
think they will be able to keep up with us when we get hundreds
of cities and counties passing resolutions in support of labeling
and dozens of states engaged with bills and initiatives."
Winters also pointed out that Measure 27 inspired many environmental
groups to work together as never before. Sierra Club, Greenpeace,
Friends of the Earth, the Organic Consumers Association, the Center
for Food Safety and many other groups joined forces in Oregon to
pass Measure 27.
"All the new local and state efforts are going to feed into
our primary effort, which is to pass federal labeling legislation.
With polls showing that more than 80 percent of the public want
labeling of genetically engineered foods, we know this is a winnable
campaign. Oregon was just the first battle." Winters says federal
labeling legislation is expected to be introduced before the U.S.
Congress early next year by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Sen.
Barbara Boxer (D-CA).
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