The Frog Logo on Food Products Has Nothing to Do with Bill Gates or the “Golden Billion”
Photo: Rainforest Alliance
The logo of the Rainforest Alliance is not the golden poison frog, but the red-eyed tree frog. The frog on the logo has a symbolic meaning of a bioindicator of a healthy environment and has nothing to do with the “golden billion” – an old conspiracy theory, according to which, the global elites seek to hoard the world’s wealth and resources, leaving the rest of the planet to suffer and starve. In addition, this logo is not related to Bill Gates. Therefore it is completely wrong to claim that the products bearing this seal are his
A post on the social network Facebook (screenshot here) shared in a group with 51 thousand members, carries photographs of various brands with the Rainforest Alliance logo, including a photograph with text in Serbian language, claiming that the frog in the logo is, in fact, the most venomous frog in the world that can kill between 10-20 people.
The description of the post claims:
A friend of mine informed me that Bill Gates’ poison arrived in Germany. They will not stop until they have accomplished the golden billion. It is up to us whether we shall fight or let a handful of people destroy us
Opposed to the claim written on the photograph – that the logo of the Rainforest Alliance is the golden poison frog – this creature is the red-eyed tree frog. Often it can be found in the neotropical regions of South America, where the founders of the Alliance started working on the protection of tropical rainforests 30 years ago. Therefore, the frog on the logo has a symbolic meaning.
By the way, these animals are considered bio-indicators of a healthy environment. The fact that some brands have the logo does not mean that they are intended for controlling the population. Indeed, the logo signifies that the product was produced by using methods supporting the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental pillar. Independent auditors evaluate farmers in terms of meeting the requirements of all three areas before awarding or renewing such a certificate. The aim is for the buyer – through the seal logo – to be informed about the products that contribute to a better future for the planet and the people.
Also, the post falsely claims that philanthropist Bill Gates is responsible for the “poison” i.e., that the products bearing this seal are his. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a grant only once to Rainforest Alliance, back in 2007 – in the amount of US$ 5,343,025 for the development of agriculture, with an implementation period of 53 months. Therefore, the post is completely unsubstantiated. Recently, Truthmeter fact-checked a similar post previously, opposing its claims.
The “golden billion”, on the other hand, is an old conspiracy theory, according to which the global elites seek to hoard resources and wealth leaving the rest of the planet to suffer and starve.
This conspiracy theory is frequented in the addresses of Russian President Vladimir Putin but also used by other high Kremlin officials, as a line of attacking the West during the war in Ukraine. In that context, in July last year, Putin in his address in Moscow said:
The model of total domination of the so-called golden billion is unfair.
Immediately after that, he asked:
Why should this golden billion of all population on the globe dominate over everyone and impose its own rules of behavior?
Other than that, Bill Gates is very often the subject of various conspiracy theories, including those about the alleged depopulation that have been debunked in several fact-checks of Truthmeter.
Overall, this viral post which at the time of our fact-check had more than 100 shares and comments, is confusing, manipulative, and spreading false and even illogical claims, thereby creating a completely distorted outlook.
According to all of the above-noted facts, the post fact-checked claiming that the logo of Rainforest Alliance is used to accomplish the aim of the “golden billion” is assessed as untrue.
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