US (OR): Monsanto, Syngenta, other companies give $455,000 to fight GMO measure

Six pesticide and plant biotechnology firms have donated $455,000 to the campaign fighting a measure on the May ballot in Jackson County that would ban some genetically modified crops.

It's a whopping amount of money for a local county measure, but the stakes are huge for these companies. If the measure passes, the companies stand to lose money. Opponents also fear the measure's passage could set a precedent and provide momentum for statewide efforts to ban genetically modified agriculture or require labelling of genetically modified foods.

Pesticide and biotech firm Monsanto Company donated $183,294, GMO seed producer DuPont Pioneer $129,647, biotech firm Sygenta Crop Protection $75,000, and $22,353 each from biotech firms Bayer CropScience, BASF Plant Science and Dow AgroSciences.

Good Neighbour Farmers, the political action committee fighting the measure, received and reported the contributions Thursday, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

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