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!
[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
[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
[Homestead] Monsanto and Healthcare article by Mercola,
EarthNSky, 10/10/2009