Yup - that's right folks... Caught this off another forum, so I don't know where it came from...

Read the following - and remember that this company is suing our farmers over GMO pollination of seed.....

Bush Names Monsanto Executive for Senior EPA Job

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An executive with Monsanto Co, a leading developer of biotech foods, has been nominated for the second-ranking job at the Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites), the White House said on Tuesday.

Linda Fisher, who worked for the EPA for 10 years before heading Monsanto's Washington lobbying office, was nominated for the post of deputy administrator. Fisher also served on a U.S. Agriculture Department advisory committee on biotech foods.

One of the major issues currently before the EPA is a request from Aventis SA to approve a genetically- modified corn known as StarLink for human consumption. StarLink, a variety altered to repel pests, was barred from human food in 1998 due to concerns that it might trigger allergic reactions in some people."

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 04, 2001

Answers

This is, quite unfortunately, not the first time such shennanigins have gone on between the M* corp, and the EPA. Sine the higher EPA positions are mostly appointed, who do you think employs EPA people when they are rotated out of office? Where do you think (as the post above shows, again) the EPA gets it's appointees from? The two are almost the same entity already. The USDA has been 'fighting' the M* corporation off and on since the turn of the century. The LAST Century!!! Sacchrine was invented by the M* corp. way back around the 19teens. (It's been a while since my research,so my dates may be off somewhat) The USDA tried off and on to get it out of consumer's hands for over 50 YEARS. When it was determined the Sacchrine might cause cancer: Whoppee!! We (the USDA) finally won! Since Aspertame is in early testing, and to avoid a population panic, we'll go ahead and approve it safe for consumer usage. GUESS WHO INVENTED ASPERTAME!!!! (nutrisweet) Hmpf.Some fight, one gov't agency helping another with the same evil empire controlling both. There are certain countries on this Earth that won't allow ANYTHING from the M* corp. to cross it's borders(India is one-Can you say cyanide spill, I knew you could...) GMO food is just another in a long and putrid history of controlling, manipulating and decieving the population by the M* corp. Chromium Copper Arsenate used in 'treated' lumber, you know the stuff that leaches ARSENIC in the soil or on contact, is made by GUESS WHO?!?!?!? and approved safe by GUESS WHICH AGENCY?!?!? They are a VERY powerful and influential company. They are also one of the 3 companies remaining that control almost ALL of the world's seed supplies. They also hold the patent on a genetic engenirred sequencing that, if they so chose to do so, could render every single living plant on this earth sterile in 2 plant generations. After public outcry, they have tabled the introduction of this self-destroying genetic code into their main crop seeds- for now. But the technology already exsits, is tested and is proven to work. Who knows when the genie will be let out of the bottle.

Sorry for the rant folks, but my 1½ yr. old son was one of several allergic reaction 'victims' of a common product made by the M* corp. We could find no doctor, in the face of overwhelming proof from several parents, that would recognize this stuff as even a possible cause. AND GUESS WHO OWNS SEVERAL MAJOR MEDICAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AS WELL!!!!!

-- StevenB (thicketyrowfarm@aol.com), May 04, 2001.

I posted it at CS with the link to the entire article, which is at:

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010501/pl/environment_bush_dc_1.html

-- Joy F [alive & kicking in So. Wisconsin] (CatFlunky@excite.com), May 05, 2001.

I saw Joy's posting on this at CS forum. It's stuff like this that makes you believe the old addage "Money Talks". GMO bother me. The sterilizer technology worries me big time. This kind of stuff will come back and bite us on the butt someday.

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), May 05, 2001.

I agree, John. This stuff is frightning. The gene is, accurately enough, called the 'Terminator' gene. It was designed to be introduced into 'patented' plants to prevent people from saving the seeds, forcing them to buy from the manufacturer every year. It was found out that the gene was a dominant gene, even when cross-pollinated with other plants in that variety.(The gene will not, fortunately, cross species lines.) In other words, You have a crop of heirloom blue indian corn and I have a crop of 'Terminator' corn next to yours. Cross pollination of our crops occours due to wind and insects. No big deal to me, I'm going to plant freshly bought 'terminator' seed again next year. When you go to plant your saved seed next year, however-guess what! Your corn that was cross-pollinated is now sterile! Forever. The uproar was based on not only heirloom varieties, but fears that this would completely wipe out most third world countries. Countries that rely on saving seeds for things as wheat and corn for next year's food supply. These two, plus soybeans, were the first seeds that were targeted for the 'Terminator' gene. M* agreed to 'shelve' the project after considerable pressure. The truly scary part is, this technology, according to M*, can be used for ANY plant. Vegetable, Tree, Ornamental - anything. Make a pine tree with this technology, it accidently(or intentionally) gets 'out'. Eventually, No more pine trees.

-- StevenB (thicketyrowfarm@aol.com), May 05, 2001.

I truly believe that the best thing to do would be to sue Monsanto for crimes against humanity. It's the kind of action they understand, it's not particularly any better than simply burning all their buildings down like some folks did to the warehouse of Starlink corn in Italy, but it could MAYBE do something.

Did you guys know about the Department of Agriculture getting in bed with Mississippi Cotton on(I might not be correct on the name here??) genetically modified cotton? For profit??? They did finally drop out of it after several years and once people knew of it, yet still, it's so wrong for government to be in bed with corporations. I do feel that monopolies are one thing that congress should definitely keep in check.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 06, 2001.

Probably the most effective thing to do would be to boycott Monsanto and all their baby companies as much as possible. Anyone know where to find all their holdings?

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), May 07, 2001.

We'd also need to find out who Monsanto has licensed the technology to, and boycott them as well. For example, the Scotts Turf company has just bought a license for the Roundup resistance gene to develop a strain of GE turfgrass. Got a lawn full of weeds? No problem, just drown it in Roundup, and whatever lives is your beautiful bluegrass lawn. Just hope it doesn't get into your flower beds or vegetable garden, because there's no way to kill it now.

-- Sherri C (one of the touchy-feelie crew) (CeltiaSkye@aol.com), May 07, 2001.

Go to the monsanto website if you want to see a complete list of their products so you can boycott them. I have a sign on my truck that says Monsanto is Evil!

-- debra in ks (solid-dkn@msn.com), May 07, 2001.

Thanks all!! I am headed for the site... Wasn't sure quite what to do. Can really understand the Italian's point... I love Doreen's suggestion (now where did I file that lottery ticket, lol!) I'd love to be a part of a class action suit against these guys... but will definately quit buying from them/subsids/etc etc!!

BTW... Round Up... My father in law isn't allowed (by family, neighbors, etc) to get near the stuff. He desided to use it on a breezy day down in FL... Hubby, his brother and I had to fly down and re-sod three full blocks in their trailer court!!! Emergency operation, considering the neighbors already had the rope around an oak tree, lol!! That stuff is truly frightening!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 07, 2001.

Ya know what all of this ag stuff is bringing to mind????There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, bird, cat, dog, goat....you all get the idea. How can it POSSIBLY be fair business to have chemical companies owning seed companies, and ON and on. This stuff really aggravates me.

What do you think? Is the best way to fight it boycotting? Or a suit? Is there anything organized from those veiwpoints as yet? I have been pretty much boycotting them for years, but not dropping out signs at the feed store. One might get lynched here for suggesting we stop poisoning everything to achieve "better living through chemistry", but this stuff is insane.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 07, 2001.

Hello Sherri. You are right, we'd have to boycott the whole Monsanto system.

Doreen, I think we'd have to boycott to do any good. The class action suit would be left shuffled around in court until we were all dead and gone. Monsanto has too many lawyers and too many politicians so they would likely never have to actually appear in the court. We need to not only boycott Monsanto and their subsidiaries but also notify the politicians that take money from them that if they accept any new contributions from Monsanto and/or any of their baby companies, we will also boycott them when election time comes around.

While we are contacting politicians, we need to also remind them that the tolerance of Monsanto's terminator gene removes our agricultural products from the world market because other countries won't accept the crap. The exclusion from world markets is what has prompted the Texas legislature to ban Starlink corn from being raised anywhere in the state.

-- Ava Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), May 08, 2001.

We considered (briefly) a lawsuit against M* for the apparent allergic reactions of several small kids in the church who had been exposed to a VERY COMMON product that M* is famous for. All at different times and and different locations. My son was one of them, as I had stated earlier. Fortunately, he did not require hospitilization as one poor 2 yr. old girl did. (hives on her skin 7-8 inches long-Doctors still don't know what caused them-twice!!))(several different doctors, 2 different hospitals). No doctor was willing to recognize that there was a possible link to this product and several other instances of hives and other reactions. We (our family)have decided to boycott anything made by the company or it's subsidiaries. Scott's license of the RR gene from M* does not bode well to me AT ALL. As we investigated what we were dealing with, we found that as we got deeper into exactly WHAT M* has it's fingers into isn't exactly a clear picture. There are some companies that are apparently owned or were bought and/or subsidised BY(not as a part OF) M* that never changed names or discloses the association. For example, M* would by out a chemical co. that supplied technology and 'ingredients' to, say, tire companies. Problem is, which tire companies? I can't realistically boycott ALL tire manufacturers, but it could be ALL of them that have benefitted from M* in some way. Scott's would be another example. Scott's isn't a subsidiary, and after a few years we won't even know of the association.(save those of us who knew about it already).It was (and is) very,very disheartning. I still try to avoid the company or it's products when I can, and I'm kinda well known at work about my stance on the issue. Right now it's the best I can do: Boycotting and education. I have, unfortunately, found that most people don't give a flyin' flamin' flip about an issue unless it affects them directly, right this second. If you want a starting point for your research try:

www.monsantosucks.com

The web page is kinda old, but the info is still valid. Be prepared for what you might find. And for those that haven't heard yet, Cananda law has ruled-Percy lost.

-- StevenB (thicketyrowfarm@aol.com), May 08, 2001.

Thanks for that site, Steven. It's handy to let people see quickly what's up....STILL. The long stretching fingers of these mega corporations is really problematic. I truly don't thibnk they should be allowed at all. It consolidates too much power and money in a very select group. I've never purchased round up in my life, but I suppose it would be really hard to get large amounts of people to snap to ALL of Monsanto's holdings. Next week I will try to print out some small flyers with a bit of info on this and just leave them on the shelves in the big stores around here on weekends.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 09, 2001.