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MCGA outraged by GMA campaign against farmersMissouri Solid investigative reporting in the mid-May Capitol Hill publication Roll Call surfaced documentation confirming the Grocery Manufacturers Association has embarked on a strategic advertising campaign to discredit corn-based ethanol. Members of the Missouri Corn Growers Association expressed extreme disappointment in this deliberate misinformation campaign designed to disgrace American farmers. "As a producer, I am beyond outraged that food companies are embarking on this bait and switch campaign to shift the blame from their pocketbooks to the backs of farmers," said Mike Geske, president of MCGA and grower from Matthews, Mo. "Consumers deserve the truth rather than factually inaccurate and sensational claims aimed at killing the only mainstream alternative to oil available in today's marketplace." "Rising food and fuel prices have led the biofuels industry to take a beating on Capitol Hill the past few weeks," the May 14 Roll Call article stated. "But the pummeling hasn't been by chance--it's part of a concerted effort spearheaded by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Glover Park Group. GMA has been leading an 'aggressive' public relations campaign for the past two months in an effort to roll back ethanol mandates that passed in last year's energy bill." Leaders of MCGA have been working with community groups and members of the media to set the record straight on the farmer's share of the grocery bill. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the farm value of products producers supply to manufacturers accounts for only 19 cents of every dollar of processed food. The remaining 81 cents is wrapped up in processing, packaging, transportation, profit, marketing and other costs. "This recent uncovering of GMA's tactics confirms what growers have been suspecting all along," Geske said. "We now have proof that members of GMA are attacking farmers rather than acknowledging the truth about the direct link of rising food prices to the cost of foreign oil. Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the only campaign out there working to discredit and disgrace farmers." MCGA is urging members and supporters to share their frustrations with GMA's advertising campaign directly with food company executives. Geske goes on to call for a public apology from GMA to the American consumer for their false and misleading campaign. "Farmers have long provided food manufacturers with below the cost of production products, allowing companies to reap billions in profits," said Geske. "GMA and associates are using ethanol and the rise of food prices as a smoke and mirrors smear campaign to further increase their bottom lines while shifting blame for the pinch at the grocery store and gas pump to ethanol. Corn growers and American consumers have been scapegoats long enough. It is time for us to stand up to this nonsense and for GMA to apologize for its deceptive tactics." Members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association include Campbell Soup, Coca-Cola, ConAgra, Del Monte, General Mills, Heinz, Kellogg's, Kraft, Mars, Nestle, Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble and Ralston. A list of GMA board members is posted online at www.gmaonline.org/about/boardofdir.cfm. For a full listing of GMA member-companies, visit www.gmaonline.org/membership/general/generalmemlist.cfm. A copy of GMA's request for advertising proposals is on the Web at http://grassley.senate.gov/public/releases/2008/05152008.pdf. For more information on food and fuel, visit Missouri Corn Online at www.mocorn.org.
Date: 6/13/08 Advertisement
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