Choice of Vilsack risks agribusiness as usual? We'll see.
Act Now to Protect U.S. Food Safety...
Act Now to Protect U.S. Food Safety...
Please write to President Obama and Secretary Vilsack Today!
There have been plenty of headlines and hearings and proposals put
forward in the last few years to choke a three-headed chicken. Yet
nothing has changed.
Instead, stories about our flawed food safety system just keep coming,
whether it's massive meat recalls, tainted spinach and peanut butter,
MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and now the swine
flu.
All of these outbreaks are a direct result of our bankrupt food safety
system, excessive market concentration and biased corporate influence
over U.S. food safety regulations.
It's time this ends.
Put Public Health First
Just when the Administration could turn the corner on food safety, we
hear they're considering a candidate at the USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) that has a history of siding with interests
of industry over the American public.
Last week word leaked out in Washington that Dr. Mike Doyle, a
professor of microbiology at the University of Georgia, was the lead
candidate for the USDA FSIS under secretary position.
This is bad news for public health and food safety.
Doyle has a long history of close ties to the meat industry and holds
several food safety patents that could become a conflict of interest
if he's allowed to take this new position.
As the head of FSIS, the under secretary is "responsible for
overseeing policies and programs" regarding food safety at the USDA.
After years of record beef recalls, salmonella and E. coli outbreaks
it's time we put public health ahead of industry interests.
Some troubling facts about Doyle:
When the Pew Report on industrial animal confinements came out against
the use of human antibiotics in CAFOs and linking it to the rise of
antibiotic resistance, Doyle joined in defending the use of
antibiotics in livestock - despite the American Medical Association
and Union of Concerned Scientists' call for an end to the routine use
of human antibiotics in feed additives.
Doyle has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from food industry
groups, including nearly $100,000 from The National Chicken Council.
Doyle owns several patents related to controlling the food safety
nightmare E. coli O157:H7 from which he could personally profit if
implemented.
While Doyle may be a good professor, we believe that his close ties to
industry interests and ownership of several patents represents a
conflict of interest that America can't afford.
At a time when our nation's food safety is so compromised, America
needs a candidate at the FSIS that has the interests of the American
people at heart and has a record of putting public safety first.
As Secretary Vilsack has previously stated, it's time that we make the
USDA the People's Department again and stop making it a place that
cozies up to industrial agribusiness.
Demand that President Obama and Secretary Vilsack pick a Friend of the
People for the next head of the FSIS, write them today.
Many Thanks,
Food Democracy Now!
If you'd like to see Food Democracy Now!'s grassroots work continue,
please consider donating as little as $10 or $25
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/dbc...
. We appreciate your support!
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/e26efde35d
Please write President Obama and Secretary Vilsack today!
SAMPLE LETTER:
Send Comments to White House
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/a0dab9dd10]
:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/3f6b...
or
Email: President Obama comments@whitehouse.gov
[mailto:comments@whitehouse.gov]
Secretary Vilsack [mailto:AgSec@usda.gov] AgSec@usda.gov
Dear President Obama and Secretary Vilsack,
We had high hopes that the Obama Administration would finally stand up
for the American consumer and put the interests of our nation's
children and 300 million citizens at the forefront.
We now find that once again the People's Department is at risk of
becoming a haven for corporate influence over the rights and benefits
of consumer safety.
It's time to throw the moneylenders out of the People's Department and
put a representative of the American consumer in the FSIS spot at the
USDA and not another friend of industrial agriculture intent on
driving the ship of food safety aground.
If the Obama Administration wants to create truly safe food supply for
the 21st century, it must appoint personnel who have made it their
life's work to stand up to unsound practices and protect consumer
health, not individuals who have a track record of dismissing the real
concerns over antibiotic resistance as a result of the indiscriminate
use of antibiotics in raising livestock or who stand to profit from
personal business interests.
While we understand that individuals that have worked for corporations
in the past or have industry ties through academia may have skills
that make them valuable members of society, we firmly believe that the
conflicts of interests that arise from these existing relationships
work against the overall wellbeing of consumers and run counter to
President Obama's campaign promises to close the revolving door of
corporate influence and Secretary Vilsack's desire to return the USDA
to once again becoming the People's Department.
For these reasons, I encourage President Obama and Secretary Vilsack
to consider a candidate for the FSIS Under Secretary position that has
a history of objectivity in standing up for the best interests of
American consumers.
Sincerely,
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/4eb0c0094f]
Sources:
1. Doyle Critical of Pew Report on Industrial Animal Production-
Defends Human Antibiotics Being Used in Livestock Feed
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/c6a7b95431/Section=Statement3&Category=Pew_Commission
2. Nearly $100,000 from The National Chicken Council
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/bc3...
3. Patent's Held by Dr. Mike Doyle
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/b93...
______________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________
Food Democracy Now! sent this email free of charge using
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affordably.
Food Democracy Now!
909 2nd Ave
Clear Lake, Iowa 50428
US
Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy:
http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html
Please write to President Obama and Secretary Vilsack Today!
There have been plenty of headlines and hearings and proposals put
forward in the last few years to choke a three-headed chicken. Yet
nothing has changed.
Instead, stories about our flawed food safety system just keep coming,
whether it's massive meat recalls, tainted spinach and peanut butter,
MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and now the swine
flu.
All of these outbreaks are a direct result of our bankrupt food safety
system, excessive market concentration and biased corporate influence
over U.S. food safety regulations.
It's time this ends.
Put Public Health First
Just when the Administration could turn the corner on food safety, we
hear they're considering a candidate at the USDA Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) that has a history of siding with interests
of industry over the American public.
Last week word leaked out in Washington that Dr. Mike Doyle, a
professor of microbiology at the University of Georgia, was the lead
candidate for the USDA FSIS under secretary position.
This is bad news for public health and food safety.
Doyle has a long history of close ties to the meat industry and holds
several food safety patents that could become a conflict of interest
if he's allowed to take this new position.
As the head of FSIS, the under secretary is "responsible for
overseeing policies and programs" regarding food safety at the USDA.
After years of record beef recalls, salmonella and E. coli outbreaks
it's time we put public health ahead of industry interests.
Some troubling facts about Doyle:
When the Pew Report on industrial animal confinements came out against
the use of human antibiotics in CAFOs and linking it to the rise of
antibiotic resistance, Doyle joined in defending the use of
antibiotics in livestock - despite the American Medical Association
and Union of Concerned Scientists' call for an end to the routine use
of human antibiotics in feed additives.
Doyle has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from food industry
groups, including nearly $100,000 from The National Chicken Council.
Doyle owns several patents related to controlling the food safety
nightmare E. coli O157:H7 from which he could personally profit if
implemented.
While Doyle may be a good professor, we believe that his close ties to
industry interests and ownership of several patents represents a
conflict of interest that America can't afford.
At a time when our nation's food safety is so compromised, America
needs a candidate at the FSIS that has the interests of the American
people at heart and has a record of putting public safety first.
As Secretary Vilsack has previously stated, it's time that we make the
USDA the People's Department again and stop making it a place that
cozies up to industrial agribusiness.
Demand that President Obama and Secretary Vilsack pick a Friend of the
People for the next head of the FSIS, write them today.
Many Thanks,
Food Democracy Now!
If you'd like to see Food Democracy Now!'s grassroots work continue,
please consider donating as little as $10 or $25
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/dbc...
. We appreciate your support!
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/e26efde35d
Please write President Obama and Secretary Vilsack today!
SAMPLE LETTER:
Send Comments to White House
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/a0dab9dd10]
:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/3f6b...
or
Email: President Obama comments@whitehouse.gov
[mailto:comments@whitehouse.gov]
Secretary Vilsack [mailto:AgSec@usda.gov] AgSec@usda.gov
Dear President Obama and Secretary Vilsack,
We had high hopes that the Obama Administration would finally stand up
for the American consumer and put the interests of our nation's
children and 300 million citizens at the forefront.
We now find that once again the People's Department is at risk of
becoming a haven for corporate influence over the rights and benefits
of consumer safety.
It's time to throw the moneylenders out of the People's Department and
put a representative of the American consumer in the FSIS spot at the
USDA and not another friend of industrial agriculture intent on
driving the ship of food safety aground.
If the Obama Administration wants to create truly safe food supply for
the 21st century, it must appoint personnel who have made it their
life's work to stand up to unsound practices and protect consumer
health, not individuals who have a track record of dismissing the real
concerns over antibiotic resistance as a result of the indiscriminate
use of antibiotics in raising livestock or who stand to profit from
personal business interests.
While we understand that individuals that have worked for corporations
in the past or have industry ties through academia may have skills
that make them valuable members of society, we firmly believe that the
conflicts of interests that arise from these existing relationships
work against the overall wellbeing of consumers and run counter to
President Obama's campaign promises to close the revolving door of
corporate influence and Secretary Vilsack's desire to return the USDA
to once again becoming the People's Department.
For these reasons, I encourage President Obama and Secretary Vilsack
to consider a candidate for the FSIS Under Secretary position that has
a history of objectivity in standing up for the best interests of
American consumers.
Sincerely,
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/4eb0c0094f]
Sources:
1. Doyle Critical of Pew Report on Industrial Animal Production-
Defends Human Antibiotics Being Used in Livestock Feed
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/c6a7b95431/Section=Statement3&Category=Pew_Commission
2. Nearly $100,000 from The National Chicken Council
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/bc3...
3. Patent's Held by Dr. Mike Doyle
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?FoodDemocracyNow/ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/b93...
______________________________________________________________________
If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this
message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the
following link:
http://cts.vresp.com/u?ee6b385fe9/41ef546651/mlpftw
______________________________________________________________________
Food Democracy Now! sent this email free of charge using
VerticalResponse for Non-Profits. Non-Profits email free. You email
affordably.
Food Democracy Now!
909 2nd Ave
Clear Lake, Iowa 50428
US
Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy:
http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html
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