Neil Young has hit out once again at coffee chain, Starbucks, this time in the form of a song.
The new track - called 'Rock Starbucks' – criticises the chain’s use of genetically modified ingredients and its alleged involvement with agrochemical company Monsanto.
In the video, via Stereogum, we see band members ironically guzzling coffee from takeaway cups, and Young making his point extremely clearly: “I want a cup of coffee but I don’t want a GMO, I’d like to start my day off without helping Monsanto.”
Watch ‘Rock Starbucks’ below:
This isn’t the rock icon’s first run-in with the global purveyor of coffee. Last November he published an open letter titled ‘GOODBYE STARBUCKS!!!’ on his official website urging fans to boycott its stores, in reaction to the company’s attempts to halt food labelling laws in the state of Vermont.
The law would require all food labels to include details of food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by July 2016, apart from meat, alcohol, dairy products and food served in restaurants. Starbucks and Monsanto teamed up last year to try and due the state of Vermont in response to this.
The letter on Young’s website read:
I used to line up and get my latte everyday, but yesterday was my last one. Starbucks has teamed up with Monsanto to sue Vermont, and stop accurate food labeling. Tell Starbucks to withdraw support for the lawsuit — we have a right to know what we put in our mouths.
Starbucks doesn’t think you have the right to know what’s in your coffee. So it’s teamed up with Monsanto to sue the small U.S. state of Vermont to stop you from finding out. Hiding behind the shadowy “Grocery Manufacturers Association,” Starbucks is supporting a lawsuit that’s aiming to block a landmark law that requires genetically-modified ingredients be labeled. Amazingly, it claims that the law is an assault on corporations’ right to free speech. Monsanto might not care what we think — but as a public-facing company, Starbucks does. If we can generate enough attention, we can push Starbucks to withdraw its support for the lawsuit, and then pressure other companies to do the same.
Vermont is a small, entirely rural state with just 600,000 people. It’s a classic David and Goliath fight between Vermont and Monsanto. Considering that Starbucks has been progressive on LGBT and labor issues in the past, it’s disappointing that it is working with the biggest villain of them all, Monsanto.
There’s much more at stake here than just whether GMO foods will be labeled in a single U.S. state. Vermont is the very first state in the U.S. to require labeling. Dozens of other states have said that they will follow this path — in order to encourage this, we need to ensure that Vermont’s law stands strong. That’s why Monsanto and its new allies are fighting so hard to kill GMO labeling in Vermont. But whatever you think of GMOs, corporations should not be using massive lawsuits to overturn legitimate, democratic decisions with strong public backing.
SumOfUs is already fighting back — they helped Vermont raise almost a quarter of a million dollars to defend themselves against Monsanto’s bullying! Help them by going to SumOfUs and registering to donate or sign a petition. The next strategic step is to pressure and call out members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the shadowy body leading the lawsuit. Your backing can help. Add your voice now. Tell Starbucks to stop supporting the lawsuit against Vermont.
Thanks for caring!
Neil Young, Nov 9, 2014 Vancouver BC Canada"
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