It's Official. Big Food Sues Vermont

[marmar]

It's Official. Big Food Sues Vermont

Friday, 20 June 2014 12:34
By Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association | Op-Ed


Dear Organic Consumer,

Today, Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) filed a lawsuit in federal the U.S. District Court, State of Vermont, to overturn Vermont’s recently passed GMO labeling law.

Today, the Organic Consumers Association, through our allied lobbying arm, the Organic Consumers Fund, has committed to contributing as much as we can to defend Vermont’s labeling law, while we also fulfill our $500,000 pledge to help Oregon pass a GMO labeling initiative in November.

These battles that pit consumer health and rights against multi-billion corporations belong to all of us. Can you help us raise $250,000 by June 30, so we can defend Vermont and push forward in Oregon and other states? You can donate online, by mail or by phone—details here.

After years of good old-fashioned work, and playing by the rules, the grassroots labeling movement achieved its first real victory this year, when Vermont passed the first no-strings-attached law requiring mandatory labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/24505-its-official-big-food-sues-vermont

[xchrom]

1. du rec.

[cali]

2. Vermont can't defend this solely with donations from Vermonters

I've committed as much as I can. Big food is determined to crush the labeling movement.

[Eleanors38]

11. Monsanto is determined to crush independent farming.

[Aerows]

21. That's exactly what this is about!

I can't agree more with you.

[billhicks76]

67. Bring Monsanto Up On Criminal Charges

They only support enforcing laws against other people. Monsanto can rot in Hell.

[Eleanors38]

14. Contribution sent.

[cali]

26. thank you so much, Eleanor. n/t

[yeoman6987]

24. Vermont has every right to do this

The companies need to stay out of Vermonts way. I hope big food just doesn't go to Vermont. Why should big foods dictate a state? F u big food!

[pnwmom]

3. Of course. Because they'll fight to the death for their right to insert insect genes into crop genes

(among other things) and to call the outcome "all natural."

[KansDem]

8. My thoughts exactly...

If you're putting salamander DNA in my tomatoes, I want to know about it.

I don't care if you can cite "scientific studies" that report there is no conclusive evidence or "the jury is still out," if you're putting salamander DNA in my tomatoes, I want to know about it.

Simple.

If you're putting salamander DNA in my tomatoes, I want to know about it.

That's not too much to expect...

[They_Live]

9. + 1000

I wish I could rec your post.

I want to know about what I am eating. It has everything to do with my well-being.

[laundry_queen]

29. Not it's not too much to expect

but I'm sure we'll have someone come along shortly to tell us that we're too stupid to know what's best for us therefore we shouldn't have labeling lest we make the 'wrong' decision.

[Jefferson23]

4. Monsanto and their evil agenda. n/t

[pnwmom]

32. The agenda of making money is morally neutral. It's how you go about it that is good or evil.

[rhett o rick]

35. Good point. And it's up to The People to keep corps in check, via their elected representatives. nm

[Jefferson23]

51. There's nothing neutral about how they prey on their own customer base, by suing them.

Every sleazy tactic to intimidate people is utilized...they and their herbicides are evil.

[pnwmom]

52. You are right about that. n/t

[TBF]

5. Good luck Vermont -

although I don't have much hope given our current Supreme Court LLP.

[marmar]

6. Sad but true.....

[mountain grammy]

41. Excellent map!

[Enthusiast]

53. I'm with you.

The supreme court has ruined this nation.

Great map.

[roody]

7. Ask your grocery store manager if

the store is a member of GMA. If so, stop shopping there. That means no Safeway.

[erronis]

57. Excellent idea - thanks (from a Vermonter)

[Liberty Belle]

72. You should start a new thread with this idea to give it traction. Smart thinking.

[Prophet 451]

10. And it will go to the SCOTUS...

...and the SCOTUS will, in a 5-4 decision, side with the corporations.

Really, corporations would sue to bring back slavery, and win, if wage slavery wasn't cheaper.

[leftyohiolib]

19. this is exactly why dems have to put all other consdierations aside and vote. scotus

is the most important issue all other concerns are secondary

[woo me with science]

34. And it is exactly why we need a liberal candidate and not a Third Way Republican in Democrat suit

as our candidate in 2016. And why we must fight like hell to ensure that we get one.

Why does President Obama keep Appointing Monsanto Shills to Key Gov. Positions?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022592785

There is zero reason to trust politicians aligned with those who repeatedly select corporatists like Penny Pritzker or Monsanto shills for high-level appointments. Our Supreme Court is too important to be trusted in the hands of corporate-backed politicians whose policies repeatedly assault *the Constitution itself* through policies of mass surveillance, "Kill Lists," indefinite detention, assaults on journalism, persecution of whistleblowers, and "free trade agreements" that cede national sovereignty to profit-seeking corporations.

There is zero good reason to believe that Third Way Democrats can ultimately be trusted on Supreme Court appointments. Not with their record.

We need reversal of this garbage. We desperately need representatives who actually represent, who are less hell-bent on sucking up corporate money for a run, and more hell-bent on representing the people and reversing the massive, corporate-purchased damage that has been done to this country.



.

[MissDeeds]

38. I could not agree more

I am as wary of Third Way Democrats as I am Republicans.

[Enthusiast]

54. I am with you 100%. DUers that don't recognize this make you scratch your head in wonder.

This nation is a world of hurt due to corporate control. It is a major crisis. Condemnation of it should be universal.

WTF!

[rhett o rick]

37. I disagree. The most important issues facing us today, is maintaining our liberties and

freedoms from the NSA/CIA Security State and halting the current bleeding of the lower classes by Wall Fracking Street.

If you dont want a Republican President in 2016, plez dont nominate H. Clinton/Goldman-Sachs.

[leftyohiolib]

50. doesnt matter what you want if some group doesnt want it they'll sue and it will end up in

front of the corporate friendly scotus and you'll lose

[rhett o rick]

60. And the SCOTUS wont matter a bit if we all end up destitute or in a giant prison camp. nm

[leftyohiolib]

63. it will matter even more at that point

[leftyohiolib]

79. Supreme Court limits EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases

SCOTUS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE

[billhicks76]

68. 100% Agreed Rhett

Glad someone is paying attention.

[roody]

77. It is really all one issue: sovereignty,

control over our own lives.

[mountain grammy]

42. Yes they will! They will do what their masters pay them to do.

Corrupt bastards.

[Timez Squarez]

45. Not happening. Deaths of Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito and Roberts will be coming shortly

Starting with Fat Tony who needs to die of a massive and painful heart attack.

Followed by Uncle Tom's suicide

Alito will resign then commit suicide

Kennedy gracefully passes away of old age

Roberts says, "Fuck it", and resigns from being a Chief Justice to a nobody.

[Enthusiast]

55. Do you really believe corporations would relinquish power so easily?

They will be replaced with new corporate stooges, one way or another.

[TheBlackAdder]

12. Safeway, Starbucks, and Target appear to be the only Retailer-Manufacturer members.

It also looks like the GMA revamped their website, removing the list of members.



Here's a historical list from the Wayback Machine:

http://web.archive.org/web/20131223031329/http://www.gmaonline.org/forms/MemberDirectory/viewMemberDirectoryAll

[Hestia]

13. So basically every food company ever, except Kroger.

[TheBlackAdder]

15. Since the BIG Brands own much of the industry... it sure looks like it.

[cantbeserious]

16. Thank You For Sharing

eom

[mountain grammy]

44. Amazing! America in three graphics. What a sad country we've become.

Still some competition in the organic food industry, but expect that to become rarer.

[Timez Squarez]

46. So we'll continue to shop at Kroger-branded stores (in Denver, that's King Soopers)

as well as Trader Joe's.

The rest can go f themselves.

[Half-Century Man]

39. If you are embarassed to be known as "one of them"

Stop being "one of them"

[Overseas]

17. Sad K&R.

[hangfire00]

18. Keep up the fight

This suit will only bring more attention to processed & genetically altered food something that monsanto will not be happy to see. Consumer awareness is not a good thing for big business.bring it on Monsanto you bastards!!!

[C Moon]

20. Monsanto wants to put a stop to it in Vermont, before it (inevitably) spreads elsewhere.

[bvar22]

22. If you wanted GMO labeling, you shoulda voted for this guy:

Whatever happened top that guy?
He would have made a good President.

[DeSwiss]

48. He became this guy:

[billhicks76]

70. NSA Blackmail

His old texts, emails and calls were privately used against him as leverage by NSA which is a tool if corporate America. This also explains his flip flop on the Telecom Immunity Bill in mid2008 that he not only didn't filibuster as promised but actually voted for it.

[gtar100]

23. If corporations are people, they are nothing more than a bunch of spoiled brats.

Afraid of transparency. Gee, I wonder why. Why do we put up with so many companies who have to keep secrets from us just to continue selling goods and services to us. It's been the norm for so damn long, we hardly care at all about that.

[roody]

25. This thread has gone on for 4

hours without a Monsanto apologist telling us what dumb dumbs we are. You guys and gals are slacking!

[cali]

27. I know. I noticed that too. Weird.

[Enthusiast]

58. They are picking their fights more carefully.

And who could reasonably argue that people should not have a right to know what they are eating. It is a losing argument.

[littlewolf]

28. maybe shame? maybe they realize how wrong it is

to put salamander DNA in tomatoes .... and not tell
anyone about it.

[laundry_queen]

30. I think

they are busy sticking up for the Kochs in another thread.

[MisterP]

31. "Science Herself has descended from Her throne and will smite such a blow against the Longhair

Last edited Sat Jun 21, 2014, 11:58 PM - Edit history (1)

Hordes at the gates that the Earth itself shall tremble"

BTW, I think that they're this angry because we're not all living 160-year lifespans in giant atomic skyscrapers led by Wells's "Samurai": rather than acknowledge that MAYBE a dream conceived when WWI was but a glimmer in the eye might not be that up-to-date, they figure that since we don't have this 60s future SOMEBODY had to be blocking it--whether Papists, fundies, or just plain hippies; if you wait long enough they'll do something risible, like use Giordano Bruno in a science show (the man was like 100 Aleister Crowleys--that's a metric hectocrowley)

[Rex]

33. Maybe some of them are finally realizing that Monsanto is a monster.

That uses practices that would make a coal baron blush.

[arikara]

56. Whoa! That's right

I was able to read the entire thread without wanting to kick somebody, and me a pacifist.

[TBF]

75. They are off on the weekend silly! nt

[Orrex]

76. Can you point to any thread in which these "apologists" have fought against labelling?

If anything, they've argued for consistency. If a product claims to be "organic," then we should require the producer to identify exactly what "organic" means, or else strict standards should be established whereby this product versus that product can be definitively identified as "organic," since they're all organic anyway.

Even those who don't reject GMOs outright don't generally object to labelling, except insofar as such labelling can prey upon the ill-informed.

Label away! It sounds like a great idea to me.

[roody]

78. Yes, there have been many.

Organic growers fought for the USDA organic certification. Look for the label.

[malaise]

36. Go Vermont

Fight back

[WillyT]

40. K & R !!!

[Timez Squarez]

43. Monsanto and Big Grocery are about to lose this battle

and the long play is that Big Grocery will eventually accept the GMO labelling and Monsato sued into bankruptcy.

[mountain grammy]

47. Funny how conservatives are all for local control and against "frivolous lawsuits"

until they're not. Oil and gas companies in Colorado suing communities who have passed bans or moratoriums on fracking.

[Enthusiast]

59. Yes, it's hypocrisy that knows no bounds.

[DesertDiamond]

49. Because they know full well that if people knew what was in the food they sell

no one would want to eat it.

[TheNutcracker]

61. Can we get help from those in Montana? They have many organic farms and more coming!

http://us.naturespath.com/press-release/natures-path-invests-sustainable-future-purchase-2760-acres-organic-farmland

Nature's Path Invests in a Sustainable Future with Purchase of 2,760 Acres of Organic Farmland

I'm going to post this in it's own thread. It's too important to this topic.

[iandhr]

62. You would think

With such a huge demand for non-GMO foods… companies would want to label their food. I always thought a basic law of economics was if there is a market someone will supply it.

[secondvariety]

64. So much for state's rights...

[emsimon33]

65. K&R

[grahamhgreen]

66. "food"

[Cha]

69. Food Fight! Fudge Brownie!

Ben & Jerry’s Supports Vermont’s ‘Food Fight Fund’ And Their Battle Over GMO Labeling

Ben & Jerry’s announced Monday that it will support its home state as Vermont battles their “food fight” over GMO labeling. Ben & Jerry’s has not only committed to eliminating GMOs in their popular ice cream line, they are also backing Vermont’s legal battle by donating one dollar to FoodFightFundVT.org for each serving of “Food Fight! Fudge Brownie” ice cream sold at Ben & Jerry’s shops in Burlington and Waterbury, Vermont. “Food Fight! Fudge Brownie” is the campaign name for the popular “Chocolate Fudge Brownie,” according to NECN.

MOre..
http://www.inquisitr.com/1302385/ben-jerrys-supports-vermonts-food-fight-fund-and-their-battle-over-gmo-labeling/

[roody]

71. Unilever owns B and J, and is a

member of GMA.

[Eleanors38]

74. So, don't ask your fiance which co-worker she once screwed.

[merrily]

73. Ya gotta love Vermont.

[Quantess]

80. K & R