Monsanto: Influence / Lobbying

Monsanto have aggressively promoted their products through PR campaigns, industry lobby groups, funding academic research and directly influencing government policy. A recent Monsanto internal document leaked to GeneWatch UK revealed Monsanto’s global strategy to promote GM foods. They are actively influencing which experts get on to international scientific committees and are promoting their views through supposedly independent scientists. The report suggests that they have virtually given up trying to influence the debate on GM foods in the UK and are stepping up their activity in developing countriesGeneWatch UK GeneWatch PR: Monsanto's desperate propaganda campaign reaches global proportions Accessed 27th February 2008.
==Lobbying Groups==
Monsanto is a member of several UK and European industry lobby groups, including: 
* Crop Protection AssociationCrop Protection Association Members List accessed 27th February 2008 in 2008. The Crop Protection Association was formerly the British Agrochemicals Association. It is an agrochemical and biotech trade association, one of the organisations that make up SCIMAC, the industry body established in June 1998 to support the "carefully managed introduction of GM crops in the UK"SCIMAC Home page Accessed 27th February 2008 SCIMAC Who is SCHEMAC? Accessed 27th February 2008. 
* EuropaBio (The European Association of BioIndustries) in 2007EuropaBio Annual Report 2007 Accessed 27th February 2008:A European pro biotech lobby group which encourages the EU and national governments to develop policies that are supportive of biotechnology
In America...
* American Benefits Council - in 2008, Monsanto is listed as a memberAmerican Benefits Council Memberships Accessed 26th February 2008.
* The Gorlin GroupThe Gorlin Group Clients Accessed 20th March 2008
==Influencing research and education==
In 2001, Dr R Stratford of Monsanto, is reported to have been involved with the Plant and Microbial Sciences Committee of the BBSRC (British Biotechnology Science Research Council) British Biotechnology Science Research Council Annual report 2000-2001 Accessed 27th February 2008. The BBSRC administer funding for biotech research in British Universities
The Sunday Herald of Scotland are reported to have written on the 15th April 2001 that "MORE than 140,000 glossy brochures sponsored by the US corporate giants of genetic modification such as Monsanto are being pushed into Scotland's schools by Scottish Enterprise'Mindfully Your World: Biotechnology and You Accessed 27th February 2008. The name of this publication is 'Your World: Biotechnology and You' which is reported to be funded by The Biotechnology Institute's founding sponsors - BIO (Biotechnology Industry Organization), Monsanto, Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, BioAlliance, Fischer Scientific, Genencor International, MdBio, PAbiotech and the Council for Biotechnology Informationibid
==Links with government==
There is a well documented ‘revolving door’ between Monsanto employees and officials from US Government regulatory bodies. For example... 
* Rufus Yerxa, Monsanto's Chief Counsel and Head of Government Public Affairs for Europe. Yerxa is reportedCameron May Conferences Cameron May - Conference Schedule Accessed 4th March 2008 to have previously served as US Ambassador to the GATT in Geneva and as Chief Deputy USTR during the 1st Clinton Administration (when he played a key role in the Uruguay Round Negotiations). Yerxa was also a Partner with Akin Gump (Brussels), Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he specialises in EC and International Trade Matters.
* Linda Fisher. Reuters News Service is said to have reported in 2001 that Fisher, who headed Monsanto's Washington lobbying office, had been appointed as Deputy Administrator with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Fisher had also served on a U.S. Agriculture Department advisory Committee on biotech foods Connectotel Bush names Monsanto executive for senior EPA job Accessed 27th February 2008.
* Marcia Hale, moved to Monsanto in 1996/7 to coordinate the company’s public affairs and corporate strategy in the UK and Ireland. Prior to this, Hale was Clinton’s assistant for intergovernmental relationsMonbiot, G. (1997)The Monsanto Monster Published in the Guardian 15th December 1997. Accessed 4th March 2008. 
* Margaret Miller, the Monsanto researcher who helped to develop Posilac, transferred to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she had the task of reviewing her own researchMonbiot, G. (1997)The Monsanto Monster Published in the Guardian 15th December 1997. Accessed 4th March 2008.
* Michael Taylor worked for Monsanto before moving to the (FDA) where he oversaw the FDA’s approval of Monsanto's PosilacMonbiot, G. (1997)The Monsanto Monster Published in the Guardian 15th December 1997. Accessed 4th March 2008.
* Ann Foster, former Director of the Scottish Consumer Council went on to become Monsanto's permanent lobbyist in the United Kingdom. At the time, Foster sat on several government advisory committees, including the key Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and NutritionMonbiot, G. (1997)The Monsanto Monster Published in the Guardian 15th December 1997. Accessed 4th March 2008.
Monbiot states that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 'which regulates the food industry, is, according to Betty Martini of the consumer pressure group Mission Possible, so closely associated with the company that it could be described as “Monsanto’s Washington branch office”'Monbiot, G. (1997)The Monsanto Monster Published in the Guardian 15th December 1997. Accessed 4th March 2008.
==PR Companies==
Monsanto have used several prominent public relations companies in an all out media assault to achieve public acceptance of their GM products. These companies include the infamous Burson Marsteller MELODY PETERSEN (1999) Monsanto Campaign Tries to Gain Support for Gene-Altered Food Accessed 27th February 2008, Bell Pottinger Good Relations UK Chime Communications ALEX WOOLFALL HEADS ISSUES & CRISIS PRACTICE AT BELL POTTINGER GROUP Accessed 27th February 2008, Global Business Access LtdUK AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY COALITION Monsanto and Biotech for Agriculture Accessed 4th March 2008 and Bartle Bogel Hegarty (UK). 
Monsanto’s UK greenwash campaign organised by Bartle Bogel Hegarty in 1998 backfired spectacularlyArlidge, J. (1999) Watchdog slams Monsanto ads Guardian Unlimited 28th February 1999. Accessed 4th March 2008. After numerous complaints, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) condemned Monsanto for making 'wrong, unproven, misleading and confusing' claims in a £1m advertising campaign. The ASA says that Monsanto expressed its own opinion 'as accepted fact' and published 'wrong' and 'misleading' scientific claims. The ASA criticised Monsanto for 'wrongly giving the impression that genetically modified potatoes and tomatoes had been tested and approved for sale in Britain'. They also dismissed Monsanto's assertion that GM crops were grown 'in a more environmentally sustainable way' than ordinary crops as unproven. The Guardian reports Patrick Spring of the Green Party, where he points out that...
:'Monsanto has been caught out misleading the public... If they are prepared to hoodwink the public, what have they been telling their friends in Government? We know they have been lobbying ministers and officials to try to get their products onto supermarket shelves. Have they been economical with the truth? The public need answers.'
==References==
 
Category: Biotech IndustryCategory: Transnational Corporations