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Meet a few of the games’ players
MICHAEL TAYLOR
- FDA – Monsanto – FDA – USDA – Monsanto – FDA – FDA
Michael Taylor was most recently appointed by Barack Obama to be the ‘Senior Advisor’ to the Commisioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration. His previous post was also under Obama as the Deputy Commissioner for Foods (Food Safety Czar) at the FDA. He was also put in charge of the FDA under Bill Clinton where he approved Monsanto’s rBGH. Taylor worked with Monsanto by establishing and leading a ‘food and drug law practice’ as well as later serving as Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto. He also had a stint with the United States Department of Agriculture. Michael Taylor’s back and forth positions with Monsanto, the FDA, and the USDA over the course of nearly three decades is a perfect example of how big government and big business operate.
ISLAM SIDDIQUI
- USDA – CropLife(Monsanto) – USDC – CropLife(Monsanto) – USTR
An Obama recess appointment, Mr. Siddiqui is the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). He also served as Vice President for Science and Regulatory Affairs at CropLife America and lobbied for that same federation earlier in his career (CropLife America represents Monsanto among others). Siddiqui is a big supporter of GMO’s and as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the USDA, he oversaw the release standards permitting both irradiated and GMO foods be labeled as organic.
ROGER BEACHY
Founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, which is a de facto Monsanto non-profit research center. Appointed by Obama to direct the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which is an agency of the USDA. This puts Mr. Beachy, unconfirmed by the public and unelected, in charge of hundreds of millions of dollars for the country’s agricultural research policy.
TOM VILSACK
Mr. Vilsack serves as the United States Secretary of Agriculture for the Obama Administration. Both as Iowa State Senator and Governor, Vilsack has shown his support for GMOs as well as CAFOs, concentrated animal feeding operations (factory farms). He even went so far as to support legislation that would prevent local governments from regulating CAFOs, and later, the local’s regulation of genetically engineered seeds. There was also controversy surrounding Vilsack’s travels via Monsanto corporate jet. Vilsack founded the Governor’s Biotechnology Partnership, and also was named governor of the year by the Biotechnology Industry Organization. As governor of Iowa, he was a big proponent of the use of GMO corn in the production of ethanol. Prior to being appointed Secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack worked as an ‘of-counsel’ lawyer for Dorsey & Whitney.
Are you beginning to see the picture? Big agri business has its tentacles all throughout big government and vice versa. As those in control jump from one ship to the other, kickbacks, favors, and even employment opportunities are given while favorable laws are paid in turn. The result is an uneven playing field, and ultimately, the increased likelihood that your local farmer will be put out of business.
So when you see legislation that promotes “public health” or “food safety” you better band against it because it pretty much ensures you that both will be threatened, along with your basic liberties.