Ronnie Cummins, a lifelong activist and critic of genetically modified food, passed away on April 26 at the age of 76. His wife, Rose Welch, confirmed that his death was caused by bone and lymph cancer. Cummins was a vocal advocate of organic food farming and a fierce opponent of genetically modified food, and he worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the potential dangers of genetically engineered food.
Cummins began his activism in the 1960s, protesting against the Vietnam War and nuclear power. However, it was in the 1990s that he became involved in organic food activism when he was hired as a director of the Pure Food Campaign, a lobbying group that sought to promote responsible labeling and government testing of genetically modified food.
As a campaign spokesman, Cummins traveled extensively, raising alarm about the hazards of foods containing genetically modified ingredients. He also worked for the Beyond Beef campaign, aimed at reducing beef consumption and promoting safer methods of cattle production. Both of these campaigns were founded by the environmental activist, Jeremy Rifkin.
While Cummins was known for his advocacy of organic farming, he was also a vocal critic of recombinant bovine somatotropin, commonly known as bovine growth hormone. Manufactured by Monsanto, this hormone was used to stimulate milk production in cows. Cummins wrote extensively on the topic and raised public awareness through rallies and protests.
Despite the near-universal consensus among scientists that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, public skepticism remains high, in large part due to the efforts of activists like Cummins. He fought for the government to mandate labeling on genetically modified food and was able to secure a comprehensive federal labeling law in 2016.
However, Cummins did not consider this a victory, as the law allowed companies to use scannable QR codes instead of including the information on product packaging, and some highly refined foods were exempt from the labeling requirement. He continued to fight for greater transparency and accountability from the industry.
Cummins was born Adrian Alton Abel in Texas in 1946. He changed his name to Ronnie Cummins in his 20s, reportedly to avoid reprisals from the Ku Klux Klan for his antiwar activities while studying at Rice University. Cummins was a staunch believer in the power of grassroots activism. He believed that consumers and activists could make a difference by exerting pressure on corporations and politicians to prioritize people’s and the environment’s wellbeing over profits.
Cummins is survived by his wife, son, brother, and sisters. He was a man dedicated to his causes, often taking up low-paying jobs as a newsstand owner, a food co-op director, and a house painter to support himself and his activism. His legacy will live on through the organizations he helped build, such as the Minnesota-based Organic Consumers Association and the Mexico-based Via Orgánica, both of which continue to promote organic food and farming practices while advocating for greater transparency and accountability from the industry.
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