Cornucopia’s Take: 2016’s “Politico 50” illustrates the dichotomy in the country by pairing Will Allen with Debbie Stabenow for “making food transparent.” Cornucopia applauds Mr. Allen’s work on GMO labeling. Sen. Stabenow receives our acknowledgement for making her ties to Big Ag transparent and GMO food labeling less transparent.
Vermonter Will Allen Honored with Politico 50 Award
Food and Farming Advocacy Work Recognized
Regeneration Vermont
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East Thetford, VT – Vermont’s own Will Allen joined one other Vermonter today – Bernie Sanders – in being named to the prestigious Politico 50 list of the “thinkers, doers and dreamers reshaping American politics in 2016 — and beyond.” The annual list, compiled and promoted by Politico Magazine, cites Allen’s work as an opponent of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the glue to the Vermont coalition that fought successfully for the short-lived GMO labeling law.
Allen joins an eclectic class of 2016, a Politico 50 that features the odd pairing of Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz, but also includes the Flint water whistleblowers, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Apple’s Tim Cook, and the author Thomas Frank.
Ironically, Politico has Allen sharing the number 36 spot with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the legislative architect of the federal law that effectively killed what was a Vermont labeling law victory, at least for the 28 days it was law before Stabenow stabbed it. To say that Stabenow is a pariah to the grassroots food and agriculture movements right now would be kind, having undercut years of effort in her buckling to Monsanto & Co.
