April 5, 2000
		Biotech Leaders Plan a $50 Million Per Year Ad Campaign After years of trying to introduce genetically engineered (GE) foods to the world with a careful mix of stealth, obfuscation, intimidation, bribery, and just plain lies, the leaders of the biotech industry have finally realized that they are forced to confront the rapidly growing opposition to their global experiment head on. Plantings of the major GE crops are down about 24% from last year, and food safety and environmental activists are taking to the streets, the airvaves, and cyberspace in droves with increasing confidence. So now Monsanto and company are pulling out the big guns. A coalition of biotech companies have formed an alliance called the Council for Biotechnology Information which has earmarked $250 million over the next five years to produce television and print advertising to tell the world all about the wonderous benefits of GE fruits, vegetables, and grains. The initial spots have begun airing this week. They feature a vague collection of overproduced, soft-focus sentimentality with homey rural scenes and happy farmers walking around in dreamy slow motion -- apparently attempting to make the point that frankenfoods are not only the solution to world hunger, but also even the salvation of the family farm. So far, biotech opponents don't appear to be terribly fazed by the sudden infusion of marketing muscle by the industry. In fact, most believe that by drawing more attention to GE foods, the campaign could end up producing the opposite of its desired effect. "The nice thing is that consumers are pretty much conerned about biotech foods as soon as they hear about them," says Greenpeace's Charles Margulis. It's worth noting that about the time European resistance to GE foods reached the point where American resistance stands right now, the biotech companies responded with a similar, though more aggresive ad campaign to reassure wary consumers. The move backfired monumentally, and many people believe the industry's own messages brought about the massive protests that have effectively closed all European markets to GE foods. Will the same thing happen here? ©1998-2000 Vegan Street