Yesterday, Monsanto, Dow, DuPont and the rest of the No on 37 campaign unleashed their $35 million TV ad blitz in California, designed to scare voters into voting against Prop 37, the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act.
The ads are full of misinformation, outright lies, and shameless scare tactics.
The scariest thing of all is that they just might work to confuse large numbers of California voters.
The No on 37 campaign is funded by giant, powerful corporations who may not be ethical – but they’re not stupid, either. Their ads are cleverly designed to reach the millions of Californians who are not even aware that 80% of the food they buy contains GMOs – much less how hazardous these foods are to their health.
The ads – paid for by pesticide and junk food manufacturers – spread lies about food costs soaring, farmers going bankrupt, lawsuits increasing, and consumer confusion and mayhem they claim will result from adding a few simple words to a food label.
Polls still show that a majority of California voters want the right to know if their food contains GMOs.
But we’ve seen it before – campaigns that had favorable polling defeated on election day because of a crafty, well-funded last-minute advertising blitz.
Despite being outspent 7 to 1, the OCA and OCF, our allies and the YES on 37 Campaign have been working tirelessly to spread the truth about GMO labeling through effective radio and online advertising, and grassroots outreach. But if we’re going to hang onto our lead – and win – we have to take our message to television and cable. We have to reach those voters who may be hearing about GMO labeling and Prop 37 for the first time.
We have to counter the lies.
This is a David versus Goliath battle. A Monsanto-trying-to-control-the-food-supply against consumers-tired-of-being-lab-rats fight. It’s the food fight of our lives.
And it’s ours to win. Or lose.
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