Organic Activists (page30)

Chefs Collaborative board of overseers member Ann Cooper (executive chef at the Ross School in New York and the Putney Inn in Vermont) rants about saving the world from conventionally…

Greenpeace UK president Peter Melchett has decided that since most of the English public is now terrified of genetically improved foods because of Greenpeace's activism, it is in his best interest to step down as Greenpeace president. Melchett is planning to capitalize on the fear he's created by selling the public organic foods from his farm.

Contrary to nanny claims, there is nothing better about organic foods. Organic, conventional, or genetically engineered, it just doesn’t matter, says David Klurfeld, chairman of the Department of Nutrition and…

The GE Food Alert Coalition is launching an internet-based “viral marketing campaign” against genetically improved foods. It should come as a surprise to no one that the folks behind this Halloween-themed “fear marketing” campaign are (once again) major organic food companies and Fenton Communications. Other participants include the Maharishi cult, the Natural Law Party and the Organic Consumers Association. Expect the worst.

In a letter to the Wall Street Journal, Genetic ID president Bill Witherspoon protests attempts to link the genetically engineered food testing company with activists through company founder John Fagan.

The organic industry has created a project in conjunction with Vermont public schools that will allow the industry to bring its baseless "organic is safer, organic is better" message into the classroom. If past behavior is any indication, the industry will be promoting organic by frightening children over genetically improved foods and conventional food production. ("Organic farmers group seeks to link schools to local farms," Associated Press, 10/9/00)

Greenpeace has released a shopping list designed to steer people towards purchasing non-genetically improved foods. It's not surprising that an apparent majority of the products you should buy comes from the organic marketers that support Greenpeace and other activists' fear-mongering campaigns.

The Fear Marketeers are holding a press conference today in Washington DC, this time in an attempt to capitalize on a recent report from the Maharishi University's Genetic ID. For more information about what's really behind this fear campaign, check out this report.

The American Crop Protection Association's Douglas T. Nelson sums up the case against genetically improved food this way: "Unfortunately, the case against biotech food has nothing to do with safety, health or the environment, but with commercial interests. The sadness of it all is that the organic farmers aren't willing to confront biotech foods head on. Instead, they wish to hide behind the facade of caring about the environment."

Maria Rodale, creator and editor of Organic Style magazine, will be hosting an online chat tonight at 9 pm (EST). It might be a good time to ask her about her support of Fenton Communications' fear marketing efforts on behalf of Rodale Press and Fenton's other organic industry clients. Please feel free to do so.