Big Ag and Big Biotech Dump $25 Million in Effort to Stop Prop. 37

The campaign to defeat Proposition 37, the California ballot measure that would require labels on genetically modified food, has collected $25 million.

August 22, 2012 | Source: Los Angeles Times | by Marc Lifsher

 
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SACRAMENTO – Major food growers and processors are pumping millions of dollars into an increasingly hefty war chest to fight a November ballot measure that would require labels on genetically engineered foods. In all, they’ve collected $25 million, the most for any ballot initiative this fall.

Anticipating the need for a high-dollar media campaign to fight the measure, agribusinesses, biotech corporations and manufacturers of some of the bestselling grocery products are bankrolling the effort.

Details of the campaign remain secret, but public reports of campaign finances show that contributions have more than doubled in the last week. Although the No on Proposition 37 campaign’s biggest expense thus far has been about half a million dollars for political consultants and media experts, campaign officials said a major advertising campaign is in the works.

“It’s all about reaching out to voters,” campaign spokeswoman Cathy Fairbanks said. “It’s expensive in California.”

Last week, the No on Proposition 37 coalition reported receiving 22 new contributions totaling $13 million in addition to the $12 million it had already collected since the beginning of the year. Supporters of Proposition 37 have reported contributions of about $3 million.