Government Workers Go Biotech

by Beth Burrows

The Edmonds Institute, a public interest, non-profit group in Edmonds, Washington, confirmed today that Mr. Mickey Kantor, former United States Trade Representative and, until January 21 of last year, the Secretary of Commerce for the United States, has been made a member of the board of directors of Monsanto Corporation, a leading transnational biotechnology firm.

The appointment was confirmed by a staff member of Mr. Kantor's Washington, DC law firm.

Mr. Kantor joins others in the US who recently changed job assignments from service in government to positions in the biotechnology industry. Marcia Hale, earlier this month, moved from assistant to the President of the United States for intergovernmental affairs to senior official with Monsanto to coordinate public affairs and corporate strategy in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Also putting on the industry hat this month was L. Val Giddings. Less than two weeks ago, Giddings' went from being a biotechnology regulator at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA/APHIS) to being the vice president for food and agriculture at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). Giddings, who had been a member of the U.S. delegation at the first meeting of the Open Ended Ad Hoc Working Group on a Biosafety Protocol, attended last week's second meeting on the protocol as the representative of BIO.

For more information, contact:


Beth Burrows
Director
The Edmonds Institute
20319-92nd Avenue West
Edmonds, Washington 98020
USA

phone:  425-775-5383
email:  beb@igc.apc.org
fax:  425-670-8410

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