Ask Secretary Vilsack to say no to Monsanto Whitehouse Appointments : Taylor and Osterholm.

Help stop a former Monsanto executive from working in the White House!

This would be a true abomanation for ALL! Frankenfood will distroy the entire population!

Currently America is in the middle of a record food safety crisis and it could get a whole lot worse. There's a possibility that former Monsanto executive Michael Taylor and irradiation proponent Dr. Michael Osterholm will be named to top food safety spots in the new Administration.

We need your help to defend America's food supply.

Write Secretary Vilsack ( AgSec@usda.gov ) and tell him to stand strong on food safety.



1. Michael Taylor [1], a former Monsanto executive, whose career literally fits the definition of the revolving door [2] between government, lobbying and corporate interests. Before serving on the Obama ag transition team [3], Taylor made a name for himself rotating in and out of law firms, Monsanto, the USDA and FDA.

While at the FDA he helped write the rules to allow rBGH [4] into the American food system and our children’s milk. Now we’ve learned that Taylor may be in line to run an office in the White House on food safety!

2. On Monday, Secretary Vilsack is set to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael Osterholm [5], a food safety expert, to lead the Food Safety agency at the USDA.

According to Food & Water Watch [6], Osterholm has been “a zealot in promoting th[e] controversial technology (of irradiation) [7] as the panacea to contaminated food.”

Irradiation allows food processors to nuke disease [8] from contaminated food at the end of the production line, while ignoring the root problems that create unsafe food. For Osterholm, the recent peanut butter fiasco [9] apparently was just another example of how irradiation could save the day.

"Clearly it\'s a problem [10] where the raw peanut butter or paste is consumed and not cooked," Osterholm said. About the magnitude of America’s most recent food safety crisis, Osterholm said, "The recall has reached a level that is far beyond what's necessary."

Try telling that to the relatives of the nine people who died and to the over 600 sick individuals across the country. "This was like peeling an onion," Osterholm continued. "It demonstrates the magnitude of processed food in this country." Well, at least he got that much right…

The problem, Osterholm doesn't take constructive criticism of his favorite technology lightly. In 1999 he wrote an editorial calling food safety advocates who questioned the safety of irradiation terrorists [11].

This doesn't sound like the type of leader that the USDA needs right now. If you think this is bad news, let the Administration know about it!

Join Food Democracy Now! in calling for true reformers to be placed in positions at the USDA, FDA and beyond.

We need a food safety system with some teeth - one that is independent20of corporate interests.

Write Secretary Vilsack and ask him to reconsider these decisions, it's time to join together to create Sustainable Change.

Help California legalize Organic Marijuana for food, fuel, clothing medicine

Help California legalize Organic Marijuana for food, fuel, clothing & medicine
The following San Fransican Assemblymen District 13 Tom Ammiano's drafting of legislation to legalize marijuana AND interviewed Communications Director of the Marijuana Policy Project on his show Friday, February 27, 2009.

Find a copy of AB 390 here:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0351-0400/ab_390_bill_20090223_introduced.html


Tom Ammiano's Sacramento office phone is 916 319-2013

A member of his staff told me activists could assist by following these three specific groups:

1. California Normal http://www.canorml.org/

California NORML
2215-R Market St. Suite 278
San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 563-5858
Fax: (510) 849-3974
Contact: Dale Gieringer
E-mail: dale@canorml.org
Web Site: http://www.canorml.org

2. Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicy.org/statebystate/california/

3. Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org/

Here is the link to Friday, February 27, 2009 audiocast of PBC interview with Bruce Mirken, Communications Director for the Marijuana Policy Project.

This interview follows another segment on the after audiocast with Carl Mayor, Attorney re Telco immunity class action law suit

http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/SANFRANCISCO-CA/KKGN-AM/PBC%202%202%2027%2009.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=SANFRANCISCO-CA&NG_FORMAT=progressivetalk&SITE_ID=5257&STATION_ID=KKGN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Green_960&PCAST_CAT=Podcasts&PCAST_TITLE=Green_960_-_Peter_B_Collins

If link breaks go to http://www.peterbcollins.com/, then to archives.

Here is a write up from the SF Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/23/BAO416354C.DTL&type=politics&tsp=1

Local Currency to Save Organic Farming Food based on natural resources possible?

Peter Glover who developed the local Ithaca, New York alternative currency in 1991 will be on air live with Deborah Lindsay on her radio show May 17 at 10AM- 11AM krxa540 AM.


People out of the area can listen to Deborah's Show online at this link.

http://www.krxa540.com/component/content/article/5-listen-on-the-internet

Deborah’s web site is

http://www.deborahlindsay.com/_/Welcome.html

and her email is: tomorrow@deborahlindsay.com

She will most likely put a podcast together for those who would like a copy of the interview.

FYI: When you call into such a radio show, it helps keep that show on air because it increases the rating of the show, so do not be shy, prepare a question and plan to call in at this number: 1 -888- 579-2540.

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) Weighs In

From: Claudia Reid [mailto:claudia@ccof.org]
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 10:28 AM
To: foodfascist.blogspot.com
Subject: your phone inquiry

FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION

Prepared March 2009 by Claudia Reid



Thank you for contacting us about federal food safety legislation such as HR 875 or S 425. CCOF is watching this legislation closely and has provided additional information which you can read by going on our website, http://www.ccof.org/foodsafety.php. There is a link on that page to a review of the legislation, prepared by Food and Water Watch, which articulates Myths and Facts surrounding food safety legislation. I encourage you to read this review since it will put your mind at ease.



Claudia Reid, CCOF’s Policy and Program Director, is paying very close attention to this legislation, as well as to other proposals. According to her colleagues in DC, many organic agriculture advocates and farmers themselves have had meetings with Congresswoman DeLauro, the sponsor of HR 875. Congresswoman DeLauro wants to make clear she is open to constructive criticism, and will continue to be a champion for farmers markets and organic farming, despite all the crazy talk out there. She is not trying to criminalize organic farming. She also wants to make clear that her bill is just a marker bill. This means that it is a placeholder in the legislative process. Congresswoman DeLauro is not on the committee of jurisdiction and ultimately the bill that gets worked on in the House will be a bill carried by Congressman Waxman. In the meantime, Congressman Waxman has to deal with energy and climate change bills. Congressional staff in DC have said many times recently that barring some major new food safety scare, the likelihood of food safety legislation moving in 2009 is slim. There is more likelihood of legislation moving next year (2010) but even this is not a sure bet. In either case, nothing is happening legislatively right away, despite all the messages out there in e-land, on various blogs and action alerts.



If/when the legislation is forthcoming, CCOF will work with other organizations on an advocacy campaign where we will ask members like you to communicate directly with your elected officials. CCOF appreciates your inquiry. Please email Claudia Reid (Claudia@ccof.org) if you need additional information. Thank you.


Claudia Reid

Policy and Program Director

CCOF -- Organic Certification

1755 5th Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95818

Phone 916-443-6480

Fax 831-423-4528

www.ccof.org

Food Fascist contacts CCOF


Thank you so much Claudia,



Yes, there is much misinformation out there. The latest is that Congressman DeLauro is not married to a Monsanto Consultant. Can you state whether this is true or not? I will certainly check out the web site you gave me when time affords it. .



I am in touch with several organizations protective of organic farming & food.



I am analyzing to see how I can help and encourage others to help as well and really appreciate your communication. There is a thread on Thom Hartmann.com beneath the Nationally Syndicated Show tab that is going on with some hysterical posts from Truth Out and Daily Kos. Also, callers into some shows on KRXA540 are saying if these passed, we would not even be able to grow a tomato on our front porches.



How did these rumors get started and what rules are in place now and how would this be so different. As a product manufacturer, I wanted batch numbers on each bottle so that if there was an issue, I would know where to recall only that batch from where and whom.



I would think this would be a best practice already in any business and I would think that small organic farmers do this already as they know who they have sold what crop harvested what day went where and would likely have a smaller distribution and therefore would be able to control this.



Perhaps someone from your organization would write an article we could put into our Coop Reporter, or that I could post on the web sites where this 'hysteria' - if it is, to encourage logical and more constructive conversations.



Perhaps Thom Hartmann environmentalists and big advocate of organic farming and wholistic healing, relays any fears I have in this manner from his book, Prophets Way p 179- was he warning about the Pharisee mentality of organizing and legalizing and defining every little thing, planning out every action, and constantly measuring each other?

So there are 4 federal legislative bills to watch as far as I know as of now:

So there are 4 bills to watch.



All can be found at this link http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-425&page-command=print

Just enter in these bill numbers:



S425 Food Safety & Tracking Improvement Act of 2009,

HR 875 Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009,

HR 814 Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Everywhere Act of 2009,

HR 759 FDA Globalization Act