The New "Bush Gang" in Washington Love Frankenfoods

GM lobby takes root in Bush's cabinet

Biotech firms could have undue influence, say critics
Special report: GM debate
Special report: George Bush's America

John Vidal
Thursday February 1, 2001
The Guardian newspaper (UK)

When Bill Clinton was president, it was an open secret that his government
favoured agricultural biotechnology and actively promoted it as a potential
US global money-spinner.

But the strength of the genetically modified food lobby in George Bush's new
cabinet, and its links with the GM global leader, Monsanto, are greater than
anything that came before, it has emerged.

The secretaries of defence, health and agriculture, the attorney general and
the chairman of the House agriculture committee all have links with the firm
or the wider industry.

The most active GM advocate is expected to be John Ashcroft, the proposed
attorney general, who received $10,000 (£6,800) from Monsanto in the recent
elections, the most the company gave to any congressional candidate. Mr
Ashcroft led calls to the Clinton administration to promote GM crops in
developing countries and to persuade Europe to accept them.

If the appointment of Tommy Thompson, the former governor of Wisconsin, as
secretary of health and human services is confirmed, he will be given
overall responsibility for food safety, pharmaceuticals and the Food and
Drug Administration, which licenses biotechnology in the US.

Mr Thompson is a GM supporter and has accepted money for his campaigns from
Monsanto. He used state funds to set up a £200m biotech zone and was one of
13 state governors to launch a campaign, partly funded by Monsanto, to
persuade Americans of the benefits of GM crops.

Ann Veneman, the new agriculture secretary, was a director of the GM company
Calgene, now owned by Monsanto, and has been active in world trade talks
which would favour US companies exporting GM crops to developing countries.

Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, was president of Searle
Pharmaceuticals when it was bought by Monsanto.

Larry Combest, a Texas Republican who will chair the powerful House of
Representatives agriculture committee, received $2,000 from Monsanto in last
year's elections. He is known as a strong supporter of GM food.

Clarence Thomas, the judge whose vote for Mr Bush in the supreme court
helped decide the election, was a Monsanto lawyer from 1977 to 1979. His
views on GM are not known.

Charles Lewis, director of the Centre for Public Integrity, said: "It looks
like Monsanto and the biotechnology industry has the potential to bring
undue influence on the new government."

A spokesman for the charity Christian Aid said: "This does not bode well. We
should be proceeding cautiously with GM. We fear even greater pressure on
poor countries to introduce the technology, to the detriment of poor farmers
and consumers who may further lose control of their food security."

Loren Wassel, Monsanto's director of public relations, declined to comment
yesterday.