Rocker Neil Young calls for Starbucks boycott over GMOs
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Rock legend Neil Young is urging his fans to boycott Starbucks over the coffee company's role in a lawsuit against Vermont over its requirements to label genetically modified ingredients in food.
In a post on his website dated Nov. 9 and titled "Goodbye Starbucks," Young writes that the Seattle-based company has taken action "to sue Vermont, and stop accurate food labeling." Starbucks said Monday it is not aligned against Vermont on the GMO issue.
The lawsuit referenced by Young was brought against Vermont by a group that includes the Grocery Manufacturers Association. The GMA comprises "more than 300 food, beverage and consumer product companies," according to its website.
"Hiding behind the shadowy 'Grocery Manufacturers Association,' Starbucks is supporting a lawsuit that's aiming to block a landmark law that requires genetically-modified ingredients be labeled," Young wrote. "Amazingly, it claims that the law is an assault on corporations' right to free speech."
In a statement on its website, Starbucks said a petition Young directed his followers to is wrong:
"Starbucks is not a part of any lawsuit pertaining to GMO labeling nor have we provided funding for any campaign. And Starbucks is not aligned with Monsanto to stop food labeling or block Vermont State law.
"The petition claiming that Starbucks is part of this litigation is completely false and we have asked the petitioners to correct their description of our position.
"Starbucks has not taken a position on the issue of GMO labeling. As a company with stores and a product presence in every state, we prefer a national solution."
A post on GMA's website, dated June 13, confirms its stance that Vermont's GMO labeling law is unconstitutional.
"Vermont's mandatory GMO labeling law — Act 120 — is a costly and misguided measure that will set the nation on a path toward a 50-state patchwork of GMO labeling policies that do nothing to advance the health and safety of consumers," reads GMA's post. "Act 120 exceeds the state's authority under the United States Constitution and in light of this, GMA has filed a complaint in federal district court in Vermont seeking to enjoin this senseless mandate.
"The First Amendment dictates that when speech is involved, Vermont policymakers cannot merely act as a pass-through for the fads and controversies of the day. It must point to a truly 'governmental' interest, not just a political one."
Calls to the GMA and Starbucks seeking comment were not returned Sunday.
Young — who admits that he "used to line up and get my latte every day" at Starbucks — chides the company for its involvement in the lawsuit against what he calls "a small, entirely rural state."
"It's a classic David and Goliath fight," Young writes. "There's much more at stake here than just whether GMO foods will be labeled in a single U.S. state. Vermont is the very first state in the U.S. to require labeling. Dozens of other states have said that they will follow this path — in order to encourage this, we need to ensure that Vermont's law stands strong."
Young urges those interested in joining the fight to visit sumofus.org and either donate or sign a petition asking Starbucks to withdraw its support of the GMA's lawsuit.
The petition showed 321,124 signatures as of Sunday evening, with a goal of 500,000.