Washington State GMO 'Battle' Reaches Record Spending

The group fighting food labeling in Washington No on 522 has raised nearly $22 million in an attempt to defeat Initiative 522, breaking the record for the most money raised by an initiative campaign in state history just days away from the November 5 election when voters decide the fate of the initiative that requires genetically engineered foods offered for retail sale to carry a label on the front of the package disclosing that they contain genetically engineered ingredients.

No on 522 has received an infusion of last-minute contributions the last few days, with Monsanto Co. giving $540,000 on Monday to bring the company’s total contributions to nearly $5.4 million. Monsanto is the second-highest contributor fighting the measure. A political committee formed by the Washington, D.C.-based Grocery Manufacturers Association (with contributions from many of the nation’s top food and beverage companies such as PepsiCo Inc., Coca-Cola Co., Nestle SA, General Mills Inc., Kellogg Co., The Hershey Co., ConAgra Foods Inc.) has given $11 million total, with about a third of that amount coming in the last several days. To read the latest, click HERE.