Veggie libel laws ruin appetite
Campus Times
February 20, 1998
cartoon by Stephanie Lesniak
Since the battle between Oprah Winfrey and the Texas cattlemen accusing
her of a false statement about meat, another effort to pass a similar food
libel law in California may be facing an uphill battle.
Texas cattlemen, who were basing their case on a state "veggie
libel" law, ended up not having a case against Winfrey.
Veggie libel laws, which outlaw wrongful statements about produce and
other food crops, have been passed in 13 states throughout the United States
and the chance of California joining is slim.
"California is the most populous state in the nation, and most
people don't know farms or people who farm. It would be very difficult in
California to pass a law of that nature," said Dan Webb, who has lobbied
on behalf of the bill to the (state) Senate Committee on Agriculture and
Water Resources.
"Most of those states (that have passed veggie libel bills) are
rural, with agriculturally based economies," said Webb.
Should negative publicity, whether it is true or not, be looked at as
a million dollar loss for growers? Supporters of these libel laws certainly
think so.
Free speech should be the issue we value most, without the worries of
some rumor that may not be true. But that is not the case in today's U.S.
society, since everyone is so worried about health.
People, whether famous or not, should not have to worry about damaging
a food's reputation. After all, under such ridiculous laws, comments from
former President George Bush would have had him subject to punishment for
his public dislike of broccoli.
Since the 1996 outbreak of the parasite cyclospora, a veggie libel law
has been a serious issue for California supporters. Strawberries were the
likely culprit when health officials in Texas said people were becoming
ill with cyclospora poisoning.
According to federal authorities, the parasite originated from Guatemalan
raspberries and as a result of the misinterpreted information, consumer
demand on California strawberry growers lost tens of millions of dollars.
Two California lawmakers, Assemblyman Tom Bordonaro Jr., (R-San Luis
Obispo) and Senator Jim Costa (D-Fresno) quickly introduced bills, which
later did not pass, calling for studies that would show a result of the
economic decrease of allowing people to make negative comments about food
crops.
Agricultural lobbying groups, such as the Western Growers, who represent
produce growers in California and Arizona, say they are still behind the
bill, but are facing some struggles.
"Western Growers has supported the legislation because we believe
their needs to be protection for people who are producers of a perishable
crop," said association spokeswoman Heather Flower.
What steps need to be taken in order for produce growers to be protected,
without ruining their reputation? The veggie libel law can be enforced,
but it takes away the meaning of freedom of speech.
