Thread: Monsanto's Man in the Obama Administration

Monsanto's Man in the Obama Administration
The Return of Michael Taylor


by Isabella Kenfield
CounterPunch - 2009-08-14


Michael R. Taylor’s appointment by the Obama administration to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 7th sparked immediate debate and even outrage among many food and agriculture researchers, NGOs and activists. The Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto Corp. from 1998 until 2001, Taylor exemplifies the revolving door between the food industry and the government agencies that regulate it. He is reviled for shaping and implementing the government’s favorable agricultural biotechnology policies during the Clinton administration.

Yet what has slipped under everyone’s radar screen is Taylor’s involvement in setting U.S. policy on agricultural assistance in Africa. In collusion with the Rockefeller and Bill and Melinda Gates foundations, Taylor is once again the go-between man for Monsanto and the U.S. government, this time with the goal to open up African markets for genetically-modified (GM) seed and agrochemicals.

In the late 70s, Taylor was an attorney for the United States Department of Agriculture, then in the 80s, a private lawyer at the D.C. law firm King & Spalding, where he represented Monsanto. When Taylor returned to government as Deputy Commissioner for Policy for the FDA from 1991 to 1994, the agency approved the use of Monsanto’s GM growth hormone for dairy cows (now found in most U.S. milk) without labeling. His role in these decisions led to a federal investigation, though eventually he was exonerated of all conflict-of-interest charges.

Taylor’s re-appointment to the FDA came just after Obama and the other G-8 leaders pledged $20 billion to fight hunger in Africa over the next three years. “President Obama is currently embedded in a bubble featuring some of the fervent promoters of the biotech industry and a Green Revolution in Africa,â€

Monsanto should be deported to Antarctica. These people have absolutely no concern that they are starving and killing millions around the world with their bio-engineered products, all for the almighty profit.

Vortex,

I agree with you but obviously these people have never heard of shame or honor. They just kill things and wreak havoc and it doesn't even phase them. I guess they still think the word about them hasn't gotten out yet but it sure has and this is another global cabbal that needs to go.

I saw that documentary on how they are trying to corner the seed market and thank goodness those people (in India?) or somewhere that started that seed bank.

These global corporations are getting bolder and bolder even though they know people are finding out about they're agenda's, they still don't care because they think they are too big to have any retaliation, but there is going to come a day when they will learn some things, it just needs to happen sooner rather than later.