Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton’s Statements on GMOs Have Varied by Audience

Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton has faced scrutiny over her paid speeches to Wall Street banks and other corporate interests. Her family’s philanthropic foundation has also been criticized for raising millions of dollars from companies and countries with business before the State Department during her tenure as Secretary of State.

In February, Clinton rejected the idea that “anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought,” and asserted that “you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received.”

July 14, 2016 | Source: Map Light | by Andrew Perez

Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton has faced scrutiny over her paid speeches to Wall Street banks and other corporate interests. Her family’s philanthropic foundation has also been criticized for raising millions of dollars from companies and countries with business before the State Department during her tenure as Secretary of State.

In February, Clinton rejected the idea that “anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought,” and asserted that “you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received.”

A MapLight review of documents and financial disclosures found that Clinton has expressed very different views on genetically modified (GMO) foods to voters than to diplomats and major players in the industry who lobbied the State Department, paid her family speaking fees and contributed to the Clinton Foundation.

The agricultural industry and consumer groups have long battled over whether products made with GMO ingredients should be labeled. Industry groups say labels are unnecessary, because genetically modified seeds pose no health risks, can increase crop yields and help combat the effects of climate change. Activists argue the industry is overstating the benefits of GMO seeds, and that the planting of such seeds has led to an increase in the use of toxic herbicides. They want labels on GMO products so consumers can make informed choices.

Publicly, Clinton has expressed support for GMO labeling. “Hillary Clinton’s position has not changed,” Josh Schwerin, a spokesperson for her presidential campaign, told MapLight. “She has been supportive of GMO labeling,” Schwerin said, noting that Clinton “strongly opposes” a bill passed by Congress on Thursday that would implement a national labeling standard, while prohibiting states from instituting their own stricter GMO labeling rules. In March, she wrote that “Congress shouldn’t block states from giving families information about their food.”

In the past, Clinton has expressed support for a federal voluntary labeling program. During her 2008 presidential bid, Clinton endorsed a mandatory GMO labeling proposal from the Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods, according to a report from the Des Moines Register in Iowa.

In other settings, Clinton has sounded a more pro-industry tune. At the State Department, Clinton sought to promote the biotech industry abroad, writing: “Agricultural biotechnology has great potential to help address the challenges of food insecurity and mitigate climate change.” She urged diplomats to “pay particular attention” to countries “that have key biotech legislation pending or are at a cross-roads on the technology.” Clinton’s message to diplomats was part of a trove of State Department cables released by WikiLeaks.