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["Lynda" <lurine AT com-pair.net>]

FYI for those who are concerned about what happens to our food supply.

Lynda
Members of Congress should be compelled to wear uniforms like NASCAR drivers 
so we can identify their corporate sponsors.



May 28,2009

The Obama Administration is considering nominating Dr. Michael Doyle, a
proponent of food irradiation, for Under Secretary of Food Safety.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the Administration was forced to stop
considering Michael Osterholm, another irradition proponent, for the same
position after thousands of folks like you spoke up. Tell Secretary Vilsack
and the Obama Administration that you still don't think irradiation is the
answer to our food safety problems.

What's so bad about irradiation? The technology's safety has not been
thoroughly researched. Some research suggests that irradiated food promotes
tumor growth and may cause genetic damage. Irradiation is also ineffective,
as it fails to kill all bacteria and may undermine food safety efforts by
masking filthy conditions in slaughterhouses. On top of all this, the
technology is expensive, meaning we will all pay more to treat our food with
something that may harm our health.

Dr. Doyle has been a zealot in promoting this controversial technology as
the panacea to contaminated food. He has been quoted in the media numerous
times supporting irradiation as a quick fix to our food safety problems.
Tell Secretary Vilsack to oppose irradiation and the potential nomination of
Dr. Doyle!

On top of all this, Dr. Doyle would also bring serious conflicts of interest
to his new position. Dr. Doyle has served as consultant for big
agriculture, including positions with ConAgra and the American Peanut
Council. More recently, Dr. Doyle has raised funds from companies like
Cargill, Coca-Cola, Hormel, and McDonald's as part of his position as
Director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. Does
anyone really think Dr. Doyle can effectively regulate the same companies
that so recently funded his work at the University of Georgia?

The Obama Administration has enacted policies to support sustainable and
organic agriculture. But appointing Dr. Doyle to run food safety would be a
huge step backward. We've already had a a food irradiation advocate who
cared more about corporate interests than public safety as Undersecretary
for Food Safety - under President Bush. Tell Secretary Vilsack we don't want
to go down that road again.

http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/t/741/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1020