The March Against Monsanto, founded in 2013, is an international grassroots movement, as well as a protest against the Monsanto corporation and genetically modified organisms.
HISTORY
The March Against Monsanto was founded in May 2013 by Tami Canal[1] in response to the failure of California Proposition 37[2], a ballot initiative that called for a mandatory labelling of Genetically Modified Food. Advocates support mandatory labeling laws for food made from GMOs and oppose what they and others call the “Monsanto Protection Act”, a policy rider found in the Farmer Assurance Provision. Monsanto, headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri, is the largest producer of genetically engineered seed.
According to the Epoch Times, “Canal began the project as a Facebook page three months before the first march, and says her anger was sparked by California’s Proposition 37 campaign to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The measure failed, but she says the fight gave her a clearer picture of GMOs, Monsanto, and the food manufacturers.
Soon after, Canal moved to Utah where she had difficulty finding the same kinds of fresh foods and farmers’ markets she had left behind in California.
“I became increasingly angry every time I would go to the grocery store and spend a small fortune to ensure I wasn’t feeding my family poison”, she recalled, referring to her two daughters. Talking about her personal motivations for starting the movement, Canal told the Salt Lake City Weekly, “Companies like Kellogg’s and General Mills are putting things like Fruit Loops on the market that are basically 100 percent genetically engineered ingredients. And that’s marketed to our kids.”
Canal founded the March Against Monsanto Facebook page, which has more than 900,00 likes.
Since its founding, the March Against Monsanto has been holding protest marches against Monsanto and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) across the world. The initial march took place on May 25, 2013 in 300-436 cities. It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of people, especially in the U.S. have participated in these marches. A second march occurred on October 12, 2013 with similar estimates of cities and protestors. Its latest March happened on May 24, 2014 with lower estimates of cities and protestors although the organizers claim that about 1 million people all across the world participated in the march[3].
Canal started a Facebook social media campaign on February 28, 2013. She stated: “For too long, Monsanto has been the benefactor of corporate subsidies and political favoritism … Organic and small farmers suffer losses while Monsanto continues to forge its monopoly over the world’s food supply, including exclusive patenting rights over seeds and genetic makeup.” She argued that Monsanto benefited from corporate subsidies and political favoritism and that its patent rights over the genetic makeup of seeds resulted in losses to small and organic farmers. Activists Emilie Rensink and Nick Bernabe worked with Canal to promote the march on various social media sites. The organization still has a strong Facebook presence which it utilizes to mobilize its supporters. As of early June, 2014 its Facebook page has attracted more than 416k likes.
CAMPAIGNS / ACTIVITIES
KEY PEOPLE
- Tami Canal – Founder
- Emilie Rensink – Activist
- Nick Bernabe – Activist
FUNDING SOURCES
- The Anti-Media
- Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance
- Truth Teller
- Activists’ Free Press
- A Revolt – Digital Anarchy
- NationofChange
- Progressive journalism non-profit organization.
- Institute for Responsible Technology
- Films for Action
- Occupy-Monsanto
- Anti GMO Foods and Fluoride Water
- Truth Beckons
- Web Warriors Occupying the Media
- Occupy Earth Now
- Higher Perspective
AFFILIATIONS
CRITICISMS
See Also
Resources
March Against Monsanto’s Facebook Page
References
- 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_Against_Monsanto
- 2 http://vig.cdn.sos.ca.gov/2012/general/pdf/37-title-summ-analysis.pdf
- 3 http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/2014/05/press-release.html
