by Mikael Thalen
October 19th, 2013
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) was forced to reveal which corporate members it laundered anti-GMO labeling donation cash for Friday, following Wednesday’s lawsuit filed by Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
After receiving major public backlash for donating millions to defeat California’s labeling proposition last year, GMA members began funneling donation money through a “Defense of Brands Strategic Account,” set up to conceal which specific members opposed Washington’s labeling Initiate 522, illegal under state campaign disclosure laws.
“The people of Washington demand transparency in elections. I’m pleased that the GMA board recognized this responsibility to disclose the names of corporate contributors to oppose Initiative 522, and the amount of this contribution,” Ferguson said.
Of the 34 members who hid over $7.2 million in donation cash, the same familiar corporations topped the list. PepsiCo, spending $1,620,899, Nestle USA, Inc., with $1,057,743, and The Coca-Cola Co., with $1,047,332. Unsurprisingly, all three were major contributors against California’s Prop. 37.
The full list with links to varying contact information including Facebook pages includes:
PepsiCo, Inc. – $1,620,899
Nestle USA Inc. – $1,052,743
The Coca-Cola Company – $1,047,332
General Mills Inc. – $598,819
ConAgra Foods – $285,281
Campbell Soup Company – $265,140
The Hershey Company – $248,305
The J.M. Smucker Company – $241,091
Kellogg Company – $221,852
Mondelez Global LLC – $144,895
Flowers Foods Inc. – $141,288
Abbott Nutrition – $127,459
Pinnacle Foods Group LLC – $120,846
Dean Foods Company – $120,245
McCormick & Company Inc – $102,208
Land O’Lakes, Inc. – $99,803
Cargill Inc. – $98,601
The Hillshire Brands Company – $97,398
Bunge North America, Inc. – $94,993
Bimbo Bakeries USA – $94,693
Del Monte Foods Company – $86,576
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. – $55,313
Hormel Foods Corporation – $52,908
Bumble Bee Foods LLC – $36,073
Welch Foods, Inc. $28,859
Shearer’s Foods, Inc. $25,251
Rich Products Corporation – $24,049
Clement Pappas & Company Inc. – $21,043
Sunny Delight Beverages Company – $21,043
Bush Brothers & Company – $16,233
Knouse Foods Cooperative Inc. – $14,429
The Clorox Company – $12,024
Bruce Foods Corporation – $3,006
Moody Dunbar Inc. – $1,804
