GMO Free Movement Takes on GMA
GMA (Grocery Manufacturers Association) Fails to Intimidate GMO Free Activists
Health enthusiasts and GMO Free activists converged on Salt Creek Beach Park on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Ritz Carlton Drive at 10:30 am on February 22nd.
The rally dubbed "Operation Shopping Cart -- Expose the GMA" was a peaceful family event.
The reason for this location according to the Organic Consumers Association, a coalition partner of GMO Free Orange County, was to oppose "the GMA's gathering of high-powered lawyers to help them plan their strategy to undermine state GMO labeling efforts, so they can pass a federal water-down, voluntary GMO label law."
GMO activists like :
1.Operation Shopping Cart
2.Event organizers John Diaz, leader of LabelGMOs Prop 37
and March Against Monsanto facilitator, D'Marie Mulattieri
gathered the GMO Free community to further alert unsuspecting consumers to the dangers posed by genetically modified organisms in the US food supply.
Their message is simple:
We want to let the GMA know that we oppose their plans to attack our democratic process of enacting local and state GMO labeling laws.
We feel that it is un-American to manipulate consumers into purchasing food made with GMOs by pressuring the FDA to label GMOs as 'natural,' which is what the GMA did this past December 2013.
WHO IS THE GMA:
The Grocery Manufacturers Association is a multi-billion dollars lobbying group representing the interests of over 300 junk food suppliers like Pepsico, Nestles, Coca Cola, Kelloggs and many other name brands that grace the tables of Americans as well as pesticide and drug makers.
The GMA was found guilty of violating state election campaign disclosure laws in Washington when it willfully failed to disclose the top funders of the approximately $11 million dollars spent to defeat its GMO labeling initiative I-522 in November, 2013.
The GMA has subsequently filed a counter suit against the State of Washington challenging the state disclosure law.
The GMA is a member of "Alliance for Better Foods", a coalition to further the consumption of genetically engineered foods.