Added Sugar, Subtracted Science: Appendix D

Published Jun 20, 2014

The documents below were submitted as evidence in a recent federal district court case, Western Sugar Cooperative et al. v. Archer Daniels Midland et al. They provide insight into the strategies sugar interests have used to mislead the public and prevent science-based policies on sugar.

Internal documents from the Sugar Association

  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 3
    The Sugar Association hoped to "eliminate the emphasis on added sugar" in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to "eliminate reference to added sugar" in the Food Pyramid in 2004.  
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 5
    The Sugar Association lists its 2003-2004 policy influence accomplishments in an internal memo.
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 6
    The Sugar Association's Chief Science Officer pleads with the CEO to recognize the science or else face the possibility that the association be accused of "misleading the public by 'knowingly concealing an essential element of the evidence'"
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 7
    The Sugar Association's Chief Science Officer discusses concerns that the scientific community is increasingly showing that food can be addictive
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 8
    The Sugar Association expresses the need to influence the FDA in order to fight a potential proposal for an added sugar label in 2008.
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 10
    The Sugar Association plans to "question the existing science" on sugar and adverse health impacts in a draft planning document.   
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 16
    The Sugar Association sends to Food and Beverage CEOs a sugar fact sheet for Halloween that includes statements such "sugar adds to the quality of children's diets" (Page 26).
  • Dahlen Declaration Exhibit 17
    The Sugar Association supports the group Citizens for Health in their effort to get corn syrup labeled on the Nutrition Facts label.

Internal documents from the Corn Refiners Association (CRA)

  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 5
    CRA staff discuss how their new advertisements can convince moms to consume corn syrup.
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 6
    CRA directs Cargill staff to deny the connection between CRA and the Center for Consumer Freedom's advertisements that the trade group funded.  
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 8
    CRA and Berman & Co staff consider ways to undermine a scientific study with inconvenient results.
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 9
    CRA and Berman & Co staff consider conducting a counter study but if its results don't serve their purpose, they consider burying the data.
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 12
    CRA staff ask the academic scientist whom they fund to reach out to other researchers and encourage them to adopt the trade group's positions on high fructose corn syrup.  
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 25
    CRA approves funding to Rick to investigate whether cane and beet sugar interest are paying academic scientists to publish anti-corn syrup studies.
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 31
    Rick Berman advises the CRA to try different tactics for quelling public concerns around corn syrup since the group "can't disprove the research."
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 38
    List of activities of the academic scientist hired by the CRA to dispel health concerns around corn syrup.
  • Fox Declaration Exhibit 39
    Cargill Director of Technical Services refers to Dr. White as "CRA's hired gun"

All other case documents can be found here:

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