The Center for Consumer Duping

In some recent perusing of the internet, I came across a website called “The Center for Consumer Freedom.” Sounds innocent enough, right? Wrong. Upon further investigation, I found this site to be supported by such companies as Monsanto, Tyson and Pilgrim’s Pride, all major players in the U.S. factory farming scene. They are also supported by big tobacco and alcohol manufactures.

Sections on the website demonize groups such as the Humane Society, PETA, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving among many others. Examples of their work such as “Cooking Up Fear,” about the “myths” behind organic farming, and “10 Food Rules for Michael Pollan“, which blasts the sustainable food proponent, completely ignore the realties of health and environment on today’s world and blatantly promote the goals of commercial agriculture.

“The Center for Consumer Freedom” also links to its sister sites such as “Fish Scam” – a site to counter scientific claims that certain fish contain high levels of mercury, “American Beverage Institute” – which fights again restrictions to alcohol consumption, such as DUI checkpoints, and “Trans-Fat Facts” – a site that puts a positive spin on un-healthy Trans-Fat. The head of “The Center for Consumer Freedom”, Richard Berman, has been an industry shill for years and his PR firm, Richard Berman & Company is the backer for all of these pro-big business sites.

Fortunately, the good people at CREW (Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) launched a site in January of 2009 to tell the truth about Richard Berman and his “organizations.” There are also links to recent news involving Berman and profiles of his top employees. You can find the truth at http://www.bermanexposed.org/ and read all about his misadventures in Washington. You can also find some interesting information at Sourcewatch, which lists major donors from previous years as well as details about Berman’s various campaigns.