Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

proverbialwisdom

(4,959 posts)
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 11:45 AM Sep 2012

Whole Foods endorses Prop. 37

Source: Los Angeles Times Business

Whole Foods endorses Prop. 37
The natural goods retailer is backing the proposition to require labeling of genetically engineered food ingredients. But changes it suggests cannot be made to the measure before the vote.

By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
September 15, 2012


SACRAMENTO — Whole Foods Market, the largest U.S. natural-goods specialty retailer, has endorsed a California initiative that would require the labeling of genetically engineered food ingredients.

The Austin, Texas, company is backing Proposition 37 on the November ballot "because it has long believed its customers have the right to know how their food is produced."

That "right to know" is the main argument for the ballot measure, which has strong support from farmers, processors and sellers of organic foods. It's opposed by biotech companies, grocery manufacturers and the soft drink industry, among others.

<...>

Opponents, so far, have raised about $25 million to fight Proposition 37, while supporters reported $3.5 million as of Sept. 1, according to Maplight.org, a nonpartisan voter information service. Whole Foods has not contributed to the Yes on 37 campaign, according to filings with the California secretary of state.

<...>

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-whole-foods-endorse-20120915,0,2481280.story

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Whole Foods endorses Prop. 37 (Original Post) proverbialwisdom Sep 2012 OP
As reported in the NYT Business Section, page 1 (print edition), yesterday. proverbialwisdom Sep 2012 #1
Good! SoapBox Sep 2012 #2
“The more ads they put out, the more they remind people that they’re already eating foods with GMO" proverbialwisdom Sep 2012 #5
Their website has good info lunasun Sep 2012 #11
Always a mixed bag with Big Organic like WF mkultra321 Sep 2012 #3
Disagree. They are big. People listen and that works. efhmc Sep 2012 #13
Did Whole Foods begin the organic movement? mkultra321 Sep 2012 #14
A relevant poster I like. proverbialwisdom Sep 2012 #15
K&R for the thread and a big *grin* for the posters! Nihil Sep 2012 #21
Whole Foods started as a local natural food store in Austin. efhmc Sep 2012 #16
I hope Prop. 37 wins. KansDem Sep 2012 #4
The 13 xxqqqzme Sep 2012 #7
Excellent! KansDem Sep 2012 #9
Great news as they will encourage a lot of people to vote Tumbulu Sep 2012 #6
propositions often indicate a failure on the part of elected officials... olddad56 Sep 2012 #8
Yess!!!! Le Taz Hot Sep 2012 #10
Here's the paradox in poster form. proverbialwisdom Sep 2012 #12
Great poster! It's funny because it's true. nt bananas Sep 2012 #20
Next they need to label Pink Slime TexasBushwhacker Sep 2012 #17
Yes on 37! roody Sep 2012 #18
Good! The more behind this the Better! Cha Sep 2012 #19

proverbialwisdom

(4,959 posts)
5. “The more ads they put out, the more they remind people that they’re already eating foods with GMO"
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:50 PM
Sep 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/business/california-referendum-pits-organic-brands-against-corporate-parents.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Uneasy Allies in the Grocery Aisle

By STEPHANIE STROM
Published: September 13, 2012


<...>

Ronnie Cummins, founder and national director of the Organic Consumers Association, which represents some 850,000 members, said he expected the food and biotech companies that oppose the measure to spend roughly twice what they have already contributed by the time of the Nov. 6 election.

Nonetheless, Mr. Cummins said he expected it to pass. In a poll of 800 likely California voters in July by the California Business Roundtable and Pepperdine University, 64.9 percent said they were inclined to vote in favor of Proposition 37 based on their knowledge at that time.
“The more ads they put out, the more they remind people that they’re already eating foods with G.M.O. ingredients in them,” he said.
Brand experts say the companies also risk tarnishing the very brands that they have worked so hard to keep separate from their conventional businesses, if at all possible keeping their corporate ownership to microscopic print buried somewhere on a Web site.

<...>

mkultra321

(58 posts)
3. Always a mixed bag with Big Organic like WF
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:40 PM
Sep 2012

Plus column: general endorsement for labeling to help consumers
Minus column: they entered the game late with their endorsement and then tried to throw their weight around to change provisions of the ballot. This may make their endorsement more of a wedge than a lever.

efhmc

(14,709 posts)
13. Disagree. They are big. People listen and that works.
Mon Sep 17, 2012, 01:40 AM
Sep 2012

Whether we like it or not, that's how things get done.

mkultra321

(58 posts)
14. Did Whole Foods begin the organic movement?
Mon Sep 17, 2012, 10:10 AM
Sep 2012

Or did they, as a corporation, follow the money of the customers who were looking for organic food? Now that they have that customer base locked up, they are trying to call all the shots. Some of it by listening to those customers and some decisions solely reflect their bottom line. They would like those bottom line-based decisions fly under the radar but collect credit for when they are responsive to their customers. Ain't gonna fly with me. That's why I happily shop at my collective food co-op or at the local farmer's market when I can't grow it myself. WF is my choice only when I need to select a traditional grocer for shopping.

 

Nihil

(13,508 posts)
21. K&R for the thread and a big *grin* for the posters!
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 06:07 AM
Sep 2012

I like both the organic food one here and the GMO one downthread - thanks for posting them!



efhmc

(14,709 posts)
16. Whole Foods started as a local natural food store in Austin.
Mon Sep 17, 2012, 04:30 PM
Sep 2012

Natural Food stores is what we called them then. There were a couple in large cities in Texas. "Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. Our founders were John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery. The original Whole Foods Market opened in 1980 with a staff of only 19 people. It was an immediate success. At the time, there were less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United States. We have grown by leaps and bounds since our first store opened."

So of course, they did not begin the organic food movement but they were certainly there early. I shopped at WF when I was in Austin and at Ye Seekers when I was in Houston. Yes , they took advantage of a trend and became corporate but they were there at the beginning.

KansDem

(28,498 posts)
4. I hope Prop. 37 wins.
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:45 PM
Sep 2012

I want to know what's in the food I eat so I can make informed choices!

After almost six decades of having crap shoved at us with "Oh, you'll like this!" and "You'll really, really want to try this!", I no longer believe "The Corporation" has our best interests at heart.

xxqqqzme

(14,887 posts)
7. The 13
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 03:23 PM
Sep 2012

most dangerous word in the world today.....

'We're a multi national corporation and we're here to make your life easier'

Tumbulu

(6,267 posts)
6. Great news as they will encourage a lot of people to vote
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 03:19 PM
Sep 2012

on this, so wonderful, no matter how late they came to the party.

olddad56

(5,732 posts)
8. propositions often indicate a failure on the part of elected officials...
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 03:53 PM
Sep 2012

Last edited Sat Sep 15, 2012, 04:31 PM - Edit history (1)

to represent the people who elected them. If the politicians we elect weren't corrupted by corporate money, we wouldn't need to put issues like this to a vote of the people. Why are the elected politicians unable to agree, and pass legislation on something as basic as a persons right to know what they are buying to put in their body.

In an uncorrupted political system, the elected officials would do the job that they were elected to do, and we wouldn't need propositions. Now we have gotten in a situation that the propositions are are corrupted by corporate money. The Koch brothers just dumped 4 million dollars into a PAC to help pass prop 32 in California. Prop 32 is a ballot measure to limit labor unions the political activity of labor unions. Who is going to limit the political activity of the Koch Bros?

Corporate Fascism is the inevitable destination, and we are well into the journey.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
10. Yess!!!!
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 04:50 PM
Sep 2012

This is my issue this election year -- the "Yes on 37"campaign. Now I know where I can do my next canvassing.

If California can get this through despite $25 million so far being poured into the "No on 37" campaign by Monsanto, DuPont, ConAgra and others, the rest of the country, especially the Midwest where the bulk of the GMO's are being grown, will maybe follow suit.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,044 posts)
17. Next they need to label Pink Slime
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 12:41 AM
Sep 2012

They can add what they call Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) aka Pink Slime to ground beef without labeling. It can be in products intended for human consumption, up to 15% by weight. It's basically whatever they sweep up from the slaughterhouse floor, ground up, centrifruged and treated with ammonia to disinfect it. It used to be only used in pet food, but was approved for human consumption during the GW Bush administration.

Cha

(295,926 posts)
19. Good! The more behind this the Better!
Wed Sep 19, 2012, 01:27 AM
Sep 2012

I only shop at Natural Foods stores after retiring from one in New York in 2010. Our store and others like it sell products that have a big Slash though GMO.

But, people who shop at mainstream grocery stores don't have that advantage. If any State can do this..it's California! Where I got into health food in the '70s.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Whole Foods endorses Prop...