The following is an excerpt from Chapter 10, “Seedy Business: What Big Food is hiding with its slick PR campaign on GMOs,” by Gary Ruskin, co-director of the public watchdog group US Right to Know.
In the late 1990’s, Monsanto ran advertisements in the United Kingdom in support of labeling of genetically engineered food. In the UK, there is mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food. According to one Monsanto ad in Britain, “Before you buy a potato, or any other food, you may want to know whether it’s the product of food biotechnology…We have complete confidence that our food crops are as safe and nutritious as the standard alternatives. Recently you may have noticed a label appearing on some of the food in your supermarket. This is to inform you about the use of biotechnology in food. Monsanto fully supports UK food manufacturers and retailers in their introduction of these labels. We believe you should be aware of all the facts before making a purchase.” [1]
However, in the United States, Monsanto has spent tens of millions of dollars in opposition to labeling of genetically engineered food.
Monsanto is an American company. It was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1901. It is still based in St. Louis.
Apparently, this is Monsanto’s peculiar vision of corporate patriotism: it believes that the British deserve stronger consumer rights than Americans do.
Footnotes
[1] Dana Hull, “Monsanto, Which Is Fighting Efforts to Label Genetically Engineered Food in California, Supported Labeling Such Food in Britain.” San Jose Mercury News, September 1, 2012.
