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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/10/Obama-Monsanto-Alliance-Too-Close-for-Comfort.aspx


 Why are Monsanto Insiders Now Appointed to Protect Your Food Safety?
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
October 10 2009 | 9,767 views

      As I write this I am in Washington DC for the International 
Vaccine Conference and I just did a 12 hour amazing tour of the Capitol 
that I will describe later, along with pictures that I will post on 
Facebook. So politics and patriotism is fresh in my mind.

    When President Obama took office, many Americans welcomed what was 
supposed to be an era of much needed change not only for the economy but 
also for the food industry and U.S. health care system.

    Time magazine put it quite well when they described current farm 
policy as "a welfare program for the megafarms that use the most fuel, 
water and pesticides; emit the most greenhouse gases; grow the most 
fattening crops; hire the most illegals; and depopulate rural America."

    And as has been recently disclosed by the Government Accountability 
Office (GAO), between 2003 and 2006, millionaire farmers received $49 
million in crop subsidies, even though they earned more than the $2.5 
million cutoff for such subsidies. In a speech given at the end of 2008, 
President Obama stated that this was a prime example of the kind of 
waste he intends to end when he takes office.

    Meanwhile, American medical care is the most expensive in the 
world.[1] The United States spends more than twice as much on each 
person for health care as most other industrialized countries. And yet 
it has fallen to last place among those countries in preventing 
avoidable deaths through use of timely and effective medical care.

    That the system is fatally flawed and in need of a radical overhaul 
is self-evident.

    In fact, according to a 2008 report published in the New England 
Journal of Medicine[2], 90 percent of Americans believe our medical 
system should be “completely rebuilt” or that “fundamental changes” are 
required.

    And many are looking toward the Obama Administration to carry out 
these fundamental changes -- changes that appear, on the surface at 
least, to be in the works.

    But while health care reform is finally on the table, and an 
organic farm has, for the first time, been planted on the White House 
lawn, there are an unsettling number of foxes being appointed to guard 
the U.S. health care and food industry hen houses … foxes that have 
entirely too many connections to Monsanto, the chemical manufacturer 
turned agricultural giant that is slowly gaining control over the 
world’s population, one seed at a time.

The New Secretary of Agriculture is a Fan of Factory Farms, GM Crops and 
More

    Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is now the Secretary of 
Agriculture, an appointment that took place despite massive public 
outcry. What was needed for an effective Secretary of Agriculture was 
someone who would develop and implement a plan that promotes 
family-scale farming and a safe and nutritious food system with a 
sustainable and organic vision.

    What we got was yet another politician who’s already made room in 
his bed for the industry lobby. As the Organic Consumers Association 
(OCA) points out:[3]

        *

          Vilsack has been a strong supporter of genetically engineered 
crops, including bio-pharmaceutical corn

        *

          The biggest biotechnology industry group, the Biotechnology 
Industry Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Year. He was also 
the founder and former chair of the Governor’s Biotechnology Partnership.

        *

          When Vilsack created the Iowa Values Fund, his first poster 
child of economic development potential was Trans Ova and their pursuit 
of cloning dairy cows.

        *

          The undemocratic and highly unpopular 2005 seed pre-emption 
bill was Vilsack’s brainchild. The law strips local government’s right 
to regulated genetically engineered seed (including where GE can be 
grown, maintaining GE-free buffers or banning pharma corn locally)

        *

          Vilsack is an ardent supporter of corn and soy-based 
biofuels, which use as much or more fossil fuel energy to produce them 
as they generate, while driving up world food prices and literally 
starving the poor.

        *

          Overall, Vilsack’s record is one of aiding and abetting 
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) or factory farms and 
promoting animal cloning.

    You may also be interested to know that Vilsack is widely regarded 
as a shill for biotech giants like Monsanto (he even reportedly often 
travels in Monsanto’s jet)![4]

The New Senior Advisor for the FDA is a Former Monsanto VP!

    Michael Taylor, a former vice president of public policy and chief 
lobbyist at Monsanto Company, is the new senior advisor for the U.S. 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Who is Michael Taylor? He is the person who “oversaw the creation 
of GMO policy,” according to Jeffrey Smith, the leading spokesperson on 
the dangers of GM foods. Smith continues:

        “If GMOs are indeed responsible for massive sickness and death, 
then the individual who oversaw the FDA policy that facilitated their 
introduction holds a uniquely infamous role in human history. That 
person is Michael Taylor. He had been Monsanto's attorney before 
becoming policy chief at the FDA. Soon after, he became Monsanto's vice 
president and chief lobbyist.”[5]

    The FDA policy being referred to is the 1992 GMO policy, which stated:

        "The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods 
derived by these new methods [genetic engineering] differ from other 
foods in any meaningful or uniform way."

    In reality, there was major concern among FDA scientists that GM 
foods were in fact different than natural foods, and that their creation 
could prompt unknown and unpredictable health problems.

    Along with being a key player in the initial pushing of GM foods 
onto Americans’ plates (without any required safety studies), Taylor 
also oversaw the policy regarding Monsanto’s genetically engineered 
bovine growth hormone (rbGH/rbST).

    This growth hormone, which has been banned in Canada, Europe, 
Japan, Australia and New Zealand because of cancer risks and other 
health concerns, was approved in the United States while Taylor was in 
charge at the FDA. Smith writes:

        “Taylor also determined that milk from injected cows did not 
require any special labeling. And as a gift to his future employer 
Monsanto, he wrote a white paper suggesting that if companies ever had 
the audacity to label their products as not using rbGH, they should also 
include a disclaimer stating that according to the FDA, there is no 
difference between milk from treated and untreated cows.”

    Taylor’s white paper, which again was untrue as even FDA scientists 
acknowledged differences in the rbGH milk, allowed Monsanto to sue 
dairies that labeled their products rbGH-free.

Dennis Wolff, Another Monsanto “Yes Man,” May be the Next 
Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety

    In another ironic turn of events, it’s rumored that Pennsylvania 
Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff may be appointed the new 
Under-Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety -- the top food safety 
post at the USDA.

    Wolff declared that labeling products rbGH-free was against the 
law, and ordered all such labels to be removed from Pennsylvania. 
Fortunately, due to consumer demand Pennsylvania's Governor Ed Rendell 
stepped in and stopped the ban on rbGH-free labels (although he did 
require such claims to include Taylor’s FDA disclaimer that there is no 
difference between milk from treated and untreated cows).

    As Jeffrey Smith explains:

        “Rumor has it that the reason why Pennsylvania's governor is 
supporting Wolff's appointment is to get him out of the state -- after 
he "screwed up so badly" with the rbGH decision. Oh great, governor. 
Thanks.”[6]

    Not only did Dennis Wolff attempt to ban rbGH-free labels, but OCA 
points out that he has “also worked to deprive communities the right to 
ban toxic sewage sludge, factory farms, and GMOs.”[7]

Monsanto’s Long-Reaching Grasp on the U.S. Government

    Clearly, Monsanto -- the world leader in genetic modification of 
seeds -- has worked its way into varying high-level positions in the 
U.S. government. There are other less noticeable connections too, such 
as Sharon Long, a former member of Monsanto’s board of directors who was 
part of Obama’s scientific advisory team during the election/campaign.[8]

    Monsanto is a very dark cloud hanging over the future of health and 
food safety in the United States. This powerful entity has already 
managed so many reprehensible acts it boggles the mind, including:

        *

          Leading the world into a new age of potentially hazardous 
genetic modification of seeds.
        *

          Patenting not only their own GMO seeds, but also a huge 
number of crop seeds, patenting life forms for the first time -- without 
a vote of the people or Congress.
        *

          Not allowing farmers to save their seeds to replant the next 
year -- a practice that has been done for generations. Instead, they 
aggressively seek out and sue farmers they suspect of doing so.
        *

          Suing farmers who have not been able to prevent the 
inevitable drift of Monsanto’s GE pollen or seed onto their land for 
patent infringement!
        *

          Producing two of the most toxic substances ever known -- 
polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs, and dioxin (Agent Orange).

    Perhaps their biggest assault to your food supply already is what’s 
known as terminator technology. These are seeds that have been 
genetically modified to “self-destruct.” In other words, the seeds (and 
the forthcoming crops) are sterile, which means farmers must buy them 
again each year.

    The implications that terminator seeds could have on the world’s 
food supply are disastrous: the traits from genetically engineered crops 
can get passed on to other crops. Once the terminator seeds are released 
into a region, the trait of seed sterility could be passed to other 
non-genetically-engineered crops, making most or all of the seeds in the 
region sterile.

    If allowed to continue, every farmer in the world could come to 
rely on Monsanto for their seed supply!

So What Can You Do?

    The first step you have already done, and that is to get informed. 
You can continue to spread the word further by sharing this article with 
your friends and family.

    Next, hit Monsanto and industrial agriculture where it counts ... 
their bottom line. By boycotting all GM foods and instead supporting 
organic (and local) farmers who do not use Monsanto’s GM seeds, you are 
using your wallet to make your opinions known.

    This means abstaining from virtually all processed food products 
(most are loaded with GM ingredients) and sticking to fresh, locally 
grown, organic foodstuffs instead.

    You can join the fight to truly revamp the FDA as well, by signing 
this petition from the American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF). 
AAHF is leading a campaign to reform the FDA, and your help is urgently 
needed, as a large number of signatures are required to compel 
Congressional Action.

    Finally, you can voice your opinion directly to the Obama 
Administration. Simply use this form from the Organic Consumers 
Association to send a message to President Obama, USDA Secretary Tom 
Vilsack, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius 
(oversees FDA) demanding Michael Taylor's resignation, and letting them 
know you oppose Dennis Wolff's appointment.

    TAKE ACTION to Demand Michael Taylor’s Resignation and Oppose 
Dennis Wolff’s Appointment Now!




[1] Mercola.com “U.S. Paying Through the Nose for Poor Quality Health 
Care” August 7, 2008 
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/07/u-s-paying-through-the-nose-for-poor-quality-health-care.aspx

[2] New England Journal of Medicine May 1, 2008, Volume 358:1881-1883, 
Number 18 http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/18/1881

[3] Organic Consumers Association “Six Reasons Why Obama Appointing 
Monsanto’s Buddy, Former Iowa Governor Vilsack, for USDA Head Would be a 
Terrible Idea” November 12, 2008 
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15573.cfm

    [4] Organic Consumer’s Association “Six Reasons Why Obama 
Appointing Monsanto’s Buddy, Former Iowa Governor Vilsack, for USDA Head 
Would be a Terrible Idea” November 12, 2008 
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15573.cfm

    [5] Smith, Jeffrey. “You’re Appointing Who? Please Obama, Say It’s 
Not So!” HuffingtonPost.com July 23, 2009 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/youre-appointing-who-plea_b_243810.html

    [6] Smith, Jeffrey. “You’re Appointing Who? Please Obama, Say It’s 
Not So!” HuffingtonPost.com July 23, 2009 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/youre-appointing-who-plea_b_243810.html

    [7] Organic Consumers Association “Another Monsanto Fox Guarding 
the Henhouse in Obama’s Transition Team” November 19, 2008 
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_15710.cfm

    [8] Wired.com “Obama Campaign Reveals Science Advisors” September 
17, 2008 http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/obama-campaign/
--
Sleep well tonight, for somewhere in the ocean's depths, MY son is 
protecting your freedom on the USS Key West, currently deployed 
somewhere in the Pacific and/or Indian Ocean.  Go Navy!
EarthNSky Farm, NW Georgia, USA