WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Grocery Manufacturers Association did the right thing in deciding to disclose which of its member companies are financing the campaign against the genetically engineered (GE) labeling ballot initiative (I-522) in Washington state, Environmental Working Group said today.
Ken Cook, EWG’s president, said:
We are pleased the residents in Washington state will now know which companies have been hiding behind the Grocery Manufacturers Association as they poured millions of dollars into the campaign trying to defeat the GE labeling measure on the ballot this November. No matter where you come down on labeling food with genetically engineered ingredients, every voter deserves the right to know who is bankrolling these anti-labeling campaigns. It’s time for these companies to not only reveal themselves and how much they have contributed, but to say why they believe consumers shouldn’t have the right to know what’s in the food they’re eating and feeding to their families.
Keeping your customers informed, not in the dark, about the ingredients in your food builds consumer trust and loyalty. We hope that these companies will recognize that and back down from trying to block an initiative that would increase transparency and provide consumers with more information, not less.
Paid for by the EWG Yes on I-522 Committee, 603 Stewart St. #819, Seattle, WA 98101.
