Topic: Adm

The sweetener market is shifting toward Stevia, a natural plant-based substitute being promoted by Cargill and PepsiCo under the brand Truvia. This move follows historical bans on Stevia that some believe were intended to protect the aspartame market. Meanwhile, the high fructose corn syrup industry faces potential legal threats similar to the asbestos industry due to health concerns.

NPR CEO Vivian Schiller is heard on tape admitting that "underwriting" is essentially the same as advertising or sponsorship. This leads to a scathing critique of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), a frequent NPR underwriter. ADM is described as a corrupt organization involved in global price-fixing and corporate espionage, as depicted in the book and film "The Informant." The hosts argue that such sponsorships inevitably influence news content.

Major food corporations including Hershey, Mars, and Krispy Kreme have warned the Obama administration of a potential sugar shortage due to restrictive import quotas. These quotas benefit the domestic high fructose corn syrup industry, led by Archer Daniels Midland. Chocolate manufacturers specifically require real sugar because corn syrup prevents chocolate from setting properly during production.