Tell PBS to Stop Spreading Monsanto's Propaganda
Monsanto, the American Farm Bureau and other corporate agriculture groups have teamed up to co-sponsor "America's Heartland" -- a 20-part weekly PBS series produced by member station KVIE (Sacramento, CA). The show presents genetically engineered food as beneficial to farmers and consumers.
Even before it began to air, it was apparent from the series' promotional materials, as well as the press releases issued by Monsanto and the Farm Bureau, that the content of this series would be used to promote the interests of industrial agriculture.
As a public broadcasting station, PBS has a special obligation to present a balanced view of any issue. The obligation exists even if the sponsors of "America's Heartland" wield no editorial control over the program. In addition, according to the commercialism test established by American Public Television, the distributors of PBS programming, "The most important factor to be considered is the character and directness of the perceived connection between the program funder and the subject matter of the program." But in Monsanto's case, the sponsors of "America's Heartland" -- and their controversial products -- unfairly benefit from an association with sustainable farmers and their ideals.
Noting that Monsanto's involvement in this series violates APT's and public television's own conflict-of-interest guidelines, over 40 environmental, food safety, farming, responsible investment and other groups have joined together in calling upon PBS program distributor American Public Television (APT) and Sacramento PBS station KVIE to pull the series from distribution "until underwriters for the series can be found whose business interests are not directly linked to the subject matter of (the) series."
The groups are also demanding that "any segment that discusses genetically engineered food or crops without also discussing in equal terms the many concerns the scientific, environmental and public health communities have about this technology" be permanently removed.
See the letter to PBS, KVIE and APT (7/22/05) asking that member stations be directed to not air the program, and the joint letter to APT protesting their distribution of the program (9/05).
Take Action:
To send a fax or email go to the Center for Food Safety, which will let you send a message directly to KVIE, APT and PBS.
To find out if your local PBS station is airing this program, go here.
Related links:
Monsanto's press release about "America's Heartland.
The "America's Heartland" promotional video also touts the benefits of genetic engineering for farmers.
The Future of Food offers is an in-depth exploration of the GE food controversy. Go here to see if it's playing near you.