The world according to Monsanto : pollution, corruption, and

scientists suppressed 159to the secretary of health and human services, urgently requesting authorizationto publish the document in the Federal Register. “The new technologiesgive producers powerful, precise tools to introduce improved traits infood crops, opening the door to improvements in foods that will benefit foodgrowers, processors, and consumers. Companies are now ready to commercializesome of these improvements. To do so, however, they need to knowhow their products will be regulated. This is critical not only to provide themwith a predictable guide to government oversight but also to help them withpublic acceptance of these new products. ...Furthermore, the BiotechnologyWorking Group of the Council on Competitiveness wants us to issue apolicy statement as soon as possible. . . . The approach and provisions of thepolicy statement . . . respond to the White House interest in assuring thesafe, speedy development of the U.S. biotechnology industry.”The commissioner’s memorandum concluded with the mention of “potentialcontroversy,” fostered by “environmental defense groups,” including JeremyRifkin’s: “They may challenge our policy as leaving too much decisionmaking in the hands of industry and not adequately informing consumers.”Attached to the memorandum was a copy of the policy statement with twovery interesting notations: “Drafted: J. Maryanski. Cleared: M. Taylor.”“This document is proof that the FDA policy statement was not written toprotect the health of Americans, but to satisfy strictly industrial and commercialaims,” asserts Steven Druker of the Alliance for Bio-Integrity. “Toreach its goal, the American government has continually lied to its own citizensand to the rest of the world, claiming that the principle of substantialequivalence was supported by a broad consensus in the scientific communityand that a good deal of scientific data substantiated it: these two assertionsare blatant lies. Decided on at the highest levels, with the activecomplicity of Monsanto, this huge enterprise of disinformation was carriedout by an unshakable team: James Maryanski and Michael Taylor.”“What exactly was Maryanski’s role?” I asked, a little shaken by the vehemenceof his language.“His role was to propagate the transgenic gospel inside and outside theagency. I met him several times, and he never deviated from the party line,even when he testified before Congress.”In fact, the complaint filed by the Alliance for Bio-Integrity had created astir, and Maryanski was called to testify before the Senate Committee onAgriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on October 7, 1999. After explaining at