Environmental Activists Confront Food & Ag Officials
SACRAMENTO – Environmental and anti-Monsanto activists – and citizens seriously concerned about the safety of their food sources – have targeted the CA Dept. of Agriculture's “Listening Forum” today, November 6, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown (1209 L St.) to protest the cozy relationship between Monsanto and other industry polluters and government.
Activists began gathering about 8:15 a.m. in front of the Hyatt. The protest is expected to last until 12 noon.
Those now representing the government in food safety have long histories with Monsanto and other corporations, who have been poisoning people, charge activists, who recently shut down part of the Nestle Bottling Plan in Sacramento and Monsanto's facilities in Davis.
"It's the "fox guarding the hen house," said activists who are specifically targeting the appearance of Michael Taylor, the former Monsanto Executive and now Deputy Commissioner for Foods & Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Other speakers include Karen Ross, Secretary, CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture.
The incestuous nature of the cozy relationship between Monsanto, the FDA, the USDA and the CA Dept. of Food & Ag., and the revolving door positions between biotech giants and these agencies, are not in the best interest of the people, said organizers. Taylor’s presence and Monsanto connection is especially an affront to individuals, families, children and anyone who eats food, because of the hazards of Genetically Modified Organism foods (GMO’s).
Background:
Michael Taylor has gone back and forth between corporate interest and government employment. He was once the Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto. Now he is the Senior Adviser to the FDA Commissioner. This most recent position was appointed by President Barack Obama. Here is his employment record. https://www.opensecrets.org/...
Many countries have banned Genetically Modified Organism food (GMO’s) due to the health and danger risks and the well-regarded and substantiated documentation as to it not being safe for human consumption. Sixty-four countries implemented strict labeling standards to provide the public with a right to know what is in their foods. Most major food producers in America already have labels on their products with GMO ingredients if they sell their products in these foreign markets.
The United States has refused to ban GMO’s, or fully label them in our country, even though there has been a groundswell of support in this direction. Monsanto and other companies, Syngenta and Bayer, have spent millions of dollars in fighting the labeling of GMO’s throughout the country, to our citizen’s detriment. In 2012, Proposition 37, an initiative to label GMO’s, was defeated by a narrow margin. Monsanto spent $47 million dollars to defeat the proposition, and they are continuing to spend millions as more and more initiatives and bills crop up.
Since that time, many cities, counties, and states have initiated a movement to either get a bill passed or an initiative voted to success. Recently, two Hawaiian Islands passed a bill restricting or banning the use of GMO’s. Oregon is in the midst of a campaign to label GMO’s and other states are following suit. Monsanto and other biotech firms are cranking up their money and power mill to defeat these actions so that people don’t know what is in their foods.
Contact: Bob Saunders (916) 370-8251/ Faygo (916) 706-4605