labelFormer New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Bracewell and Giuliani represents the Environmental Working Group, a DC non-profit mostly bankrolled by philanthropic groups, for food labeling and cosmetic/sunscreen issues.

EWG, which says its mission is to "use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment," today released an "anti-label lobby" report that found a dramatic upswing in lobbying outlays by food/biotechnology companies opposed to labeling food with genetically engineered products.

Anti-labeling backers spent $9M during the first-quarter, which exceeded total outlays of 2013, according to EWG. Grocery Manufacturers Assn. topped the roster with $1.2M in expenses.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Bayer, Hillshire Brands, DuPont, GlaxoSmithKline, Land O'Lakes and International Dairy Foods Assn. were other big spenders in support of a Congressional measure from Kansas Republican Mike Pompeo that would block states from requiring genetically modified organism, or GMO, labeling on food packages.

EWG noted that top GMO companies like Monsanto, Syngenta, and Dow did not report fees specifically targeting anti-labeling, but did shell out for general advocacy on biotech issues.

Vermont is the first state to require labeling. That bill is under a legal siege to kill it. Maine and Connecticut have pending labeling measures.

California Senator Barbara Boxer (D) and Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio (R) introduced a bill for nationwide GE labeling.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Turner Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Barbra Streisand Foundation and Civil Society Institute are among EWG financial backers.

Progressive Farmer has called EWG co-founder & president Ken Cook, who was former science editor at the Washington Post, "one of agriculture's most influential leaders in the 20th Century, alongside advocates like Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold."

EWG executive director Heather White was advocacy director at the National Wildlife Federation, aide to former Wisconsin Democratic Senator Russ Feingold and chief of women's outreach for the Gore for President campaign.

B&G's Ed Krenick, aide to former Minnesota Republican Senator Durenberger, and Eric Washburn, staffer for ex-Senate Majority Leader and South Dakota Democrat Tom Daschle, work the EWG business.