Parks and Rec tackles soda sizes

I had the pleasure of hearing Cathy Nonas speak at this year’s Arizona Public Health Association Conference just over a week ago. She shared this clip from Parks & Recreation that says it better than I ever could.

Quote of the Day

“The fact is, we recoil at social engineering by the government, but for some reason we accept it by industry. Social engineering is going on every time you walk into the supermarket. The fact that the sweetened cereals are at eye level and the plain, un-reconstructed oatmeal is down by your feet is social engineering – and we’re not offended by that. Yet we’re offended as soon as the mayor says, ‘No, 16 oz. cups.’”

-Michael Pollan (source)

Monsanto and the U.S. Government

I came across this extensive (though I’m sure not exhaustive) list of the revolving door between Monsanto and the U.S. government in the movie The Future of Food. It’s no wonder genetically modified organisms still aren’t labeled!

Michael Taylor
Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Monsanto’s senior counsel at King & Spalding
Vice president for public policy, Monsanto

Linda Fisher
Deputy Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Assistant Administrator – Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA
Assistant Administrator – Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, EPA
Chief of Staff to the EPA Administrator
Vice President of Government Affairs, Monsanto

Clarence Thomas
Supreme Court Justice
Lawyer for Regulatory Affairs, Monsanto

Mickey Kantor
United States Secretary of Commerce
Board of Directors, Monsanto

Ann Veneman
United States Secretary of Agriculture
Board of Directors, Calgene (biotech company purchased by Monsanto)

Michael Friedman
Former acting commissioner of the FDA
Senior Vice President of clinical affairs, GD Searle (a subsidiary of Monsanto)

William Ruckelshaus
Chief Administrator, FDA
Monsanto Board Member

Donald Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
President, GD Searle (a subsidiary of Monsanto)