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Date:         Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:45:47 -0500
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From:         Laurel Hopwood <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: OCA Press release on Vilsack's appointment
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Passing along this press release from the Organic Consumers Association:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 17, 2008



CONTACT:

Organic Consumers Association

Ronnie Cummins  (218) 226-4164



Pesticide Action Network

Kathryn Gilje  (415) 981-1771


Organic Consumers Association: Vilsack Not "Change We Can Believe In"


WASHINGTON, DC =96 December 17, 2008 =96 Today's announcement that former Io=
wa
Governor, Tom Vilsack, has been selected as the new Secretary of Agriculture
sent a chill through the sustainable food and farming community who have
been lobbying for a champion in the new administration.


"Vilsack's nomination sends the message that dangerous, untested, unlabeled
genetically engineered crops will be the norm in the Obama Administration,"
said Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of Organic Consumers Association.
"Our nation's future depends on crafting a forward-thinking strategy to
promote organic and sustainable food and farming, and address the related
crises of climate change, diminishing energy supplies, deteriorating public
health, and economic depression."


The Department of Agriculture during the Bush Administration failed to
promote a sustainable vision for food and farming and did not protect
consumers from the chemical-intensive toxic practices inherent to industrial
agriculture. While factory farms and junk food have been subsidized with
billions of tax dollars, the U.S. industrial farm system has released
massive

amounts of climate-destabilizing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and
increased our dependence on foreign oil.



The Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for directing the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and its $97 billion annual budget, including the
National Organic Program, food stamp and nutrition programs, agriculture
subsidies, and the Forest Service.


While Vilsack has worked to restrain livestock monopolies, his overall
record is one of aiding and abetting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
(CAFOs, also known as factory farms). Vilsack's support for unsustainable
industrial ethanol production has already caused global corn and grain
prices to skyrocket, literally taking food off the table for a billion
people in the developing world.



"We fear that this signals Obama's intentions to rely upon corporate
solutions and biotech "quick fixes," forcing farmers to continue on the
pesticide treadmill, rather than creating food systems that nourish people,
support family farmers and regenerate natural resources," said Kathryn

Gilje, Executive Director for the Pesticide Action Network.  We oppose the
confirmation of Tom Vilsack to this post, especially at a time when so much
is at stake for the future of food and farming in America."



Over the past month, Organic Consumers Association members have sent over
20,000 emails to President-Elect Obama=B9s Transition Team, calling for the
appointment of a Secretary of Agriculture who would develop and implement a
plan that promotes family-scale farming, a safe and nutritious food system,
and a sustainable and organic vision for the future.


"Obama's choice for Secretary of Agriculture points to the continuation of
agribusiness as usual, the failed policies of chemical- and
energy-intensive, genetically engineered industrial agriculture," said
Cummins. "Americans were promised change, not just another shill for

Monsanto and corporate agribusiness. Considering the challenges we
collectively face as a nation, from climate change and rising energy costs
to food insecurity, we need an administration that moves beyond  business as
usual to fundamental change before it's too late," concluded Cummins.


Vilsack's business as usual positions have included the following:



=B7  Vilsack has been a strong supporter of genetically engineered
pharmaceutical crops, especially pharmaceutical corn.


=B7   The biggest biotechnology industry group, the Biotechnology Industry
Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Year. He is also the founder and
former chair of the Governor's Biotechnology Partnership.


=B7  When Vilsack created the Iowa Values Fund, his first poster child for
economic development was Trans Ova and their pursuit of cloning dairy cows.


=B7  The undemocratic 2005 seed pre-emption bill was the Vilsack's brainchil=
d.
The law strips local government=B9s right to regulate genetically engineered
seed.


=B7   Vilsack is an ardent supporter of corn and soy based biofuels, which u=
se
as much or more energy to produce as they generate and drive up world food
prices, literally starving the poor.

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<div><br class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><p style=3D"margin: 0=
.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0=
.0px">Passing along this press release from the Organic Consumers Associatio=
n:</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">December 17, 2008</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">CONTACT:&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Organic Consumers Association</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Ronnie Cummins&nbsp; (218) 226-4164</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Pesticide Action Network</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Kathryn Gilje&nbsp; (415) 981-1771</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Organic Consumers Association: Vilsack Not &quot;=
Change We Can Believe In&quot;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">WASHINGTON, DC =96 December 17, 2008 =96 Today&#3=
9;s announcement that former Iowa Governor, Tom Vilsack, has been selected a=
s the new Secretary of Agriculture sent a chill through the sustainable food=
 and farming community who have been lobbying for a champion in the new admi=
nistration.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&quot;Vilsack&#39;s nomination sends the message=20=
that dangerous, untested, unlabeled genetically engineered crops will be the=
 norm in the Obama Administration,&quot; said Ronnie Cummins, Executive Dire=
ctor of Organic Consumers Association. "Our nation&#39;s future depends on c=
rafting a forward-thinking strategy to promote organic and sustainable food=20=
and farming, and address the related crises of climate change, diminishing e=
nergy supplies, deteriorating public health, and economic depression."</span=
></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Department of Agriculture during the Bush Adm=
inistration failed to promote a sustainable vision for food and farming and=20=
did not protect consumers from the chemical-intensive toxic practices inhere=
nt to industrial agriculture. While factory farms and junk food have been su=
bsidized with billions of tax dollars, the U.S. industrial farm system has r=
eleased massive</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">amounts of climate-destabilizing greenhouse gases=
 into the atmosphere and increased our dependence on foreign oil.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">The Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for d=
irecting the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its $97 billion annual budge=
t, including the National Organic Program, food stamp and nutrition programs=
, agriculture subsidies, and the Forest Service.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">While Vilsack has worked to restrain livestock mo=
nopolies, his overall record is one of aiding and abetting Concentrated Anim=
al Feeding Operations (CAFOs, also known as factory farms). Vilsack&#39;s su=
pport for unsustainable industrial ethanol production has already caused glo=
bal corn and grain prices to skyrocket, literally taking food off the table=20=
for a billion people in the developing world.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&quot;We fear that this signals Obama&#39;s inten=
tions to rely upon corporate solutions and biotech &quot;quick fixes,&quot;=20=
forcing farmers to continue on the pesticide treadmill, rather than creating=
 food systems that nourish people, support family farmers and regenerate nat=
ural resources," said Kathryn</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Gilje, Executive Director for the Pesticide Actio=
n Network.&nbsp; We oppose the confirmation of Tom Vilsack to this post, esp=
ecially at a time when so much is at stake for the future of food and farmin=
g in America.&quot;</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Over the past month, Organic Consumers Associatio=
n members have sent over 20,000 emails to President-Elect Obama=B9s Transiti=
on Team, calling for the appointment of a Secretary of Agriculture who would=
 develop and implement a plan that promotes family-scale farming, a safe and=
 nutritious food system, and a sustainable and organic vision for the future=
.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&quot;Obama&#39;s choice for Secretary of Agricul=
ture points to the continuation of agribusiness as usual, the failed policie=
s of chemical- and energy-intensive, genetically engineered industrial agric=
ulture,&quot; said Cummins. &quot;Americans were promised change, not just a=
nother shill for</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Monsanto and corporate agribusiness. Considering=20=
the challenges we collectively face as a nation, from climate change and ris=
ing energy costs to food insecurity, we need an administration that moves be=
yond&nbsp; business as usual to fundamental change before it&#39;s too late,=
" concluded Cummins.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">Vilsack&#39;s business as usual positions have in=
cluded the following:</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">=B7&nbsp; Vilsack has been a strong supporter of=20=
genetically engineered pharmaceutical crops, especially pharmaceutical corn.=
</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">=B7 &nbsp; The biggest biotechnology industry gro=
up, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, named Vilsack Governor of the Y=
ear. He is also the founder and former chair of the Governor&#39;s Biotechno=
logy Partnership.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">=B7&nbsp; When Vilsack created the Iowa Values Fu=
nd, his first poster child for economic development was Trans Ova and their=20=
pursuit of cloning dairy cows.</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">=B7&nbsp; The undemocratic 2005 seed pre-emption=20=
bill was the Vilsack&#39;s brainchild. The law strips local government=B9s r=
ight to regulate genetically engineered seed.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial"><span style=
=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">=B7 &nbsp; Vilsack is an ardent supporter of corn=
 and soy based biofuels, which use as much or more energy to produce as they=
 generate and drive up world food prices, literally starving the poor.</span=
></p>

<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px"></span><br></p>
<p style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; min-height:=
 12.0px"><span style=3D"letter-spacing: 0.0px">&nbsp;</span></p>
</div>
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