March 18, 2015

California Nutritionists Just Voted Not To Invite McDonald’s Back as a Sponsor

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Last year, I attended the annual conference of the California Dietetic Association, the state’s chapter of the country’s largest professional organization for nutritionists and dietitians. Its premier sponsor—and lunch caterer—was McDonald’s. That won’t be the case at this year’s conference in April: The organization just voted not to invite the fast-food chain back.

Today a member of the California Dietetics Association shared the following letter from conference leadership on the Facebook page of Dietitians for Professional Integrity:

We would like to direct your attention to what the California Dietetic Association (CDA) has done to address our own issues surrounding sponsorship. We heard your concerns regarding CDA Annual Conference sponsorship and we have listened. We voted and McDonalds was not invited as a sponsor in 2015. This decision has impacted our finances; however, we believe it was important to respond to our member feedback. In addition, an ad hoc committee approved by the CDA executive board, reevaluated the sponsorship guidelines. The new sponsorship policy will be posted soon on www.dietitian.org. Any questions regarding the new policy can be directed to Kathryn Sucher, CDA President-elect [email address redacted]
We look forward to seeing you at the CDA Annual Conference.
Your 2014-2015 CDA Executive Board

That’s not to say that the conference organizers have ditched corporate funders entirely. According to the schedule (PDF), Kellogg’s is sponsoring a panel called “The Evolution of Breakfast: Nutrition and Health Concerns in the Future,” while Soy Connection, the communications arm of the United Soybean Board, is hosting a session titled “Busting the Myths Surrounding Genetically Engineered Foods” (and sponsoring a “light breakfast”). A few other sessions sponsored by corporations and trade groups:

  • “Why We Eat What We Eat in America and What We Can Do About It” (California Beef Council)
  • “Probiotics and the Microbiome: Key to Health and Disease Prevention” (Dairy Council of California)
  • “New Research – Understanding Optimal Levels Of Protein And Carb To Prevent Obesity, Sarcopenia, Type 2 Diabetes, And Metabolic Syndrome” (Egg Nutrition Center)
  • “New evidence of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners: Help or Hindrance for Weight and Diabetes Management” (Johnson & Johnson McNeil, Inc, LLC)
  • “Plant-based Meals from Around the Globe” (Barilla Pasta)

Still, says Andy Bellatti, a dietitian and leader of the group Dietitians for Professional Integrity, ditching McDonald’s as a sponsor is a step in the right direction. “There’s still a long way to go,” he said. “But the McDonald’s sponsorship was just so egregious. I’m glad they came to their senses and got rid of it.”

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

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And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

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