Food Safety

Berman Floats to the Top

by Sheldon Rampton — April 30, 2002 - 9:56pm

Tobacco, booze and restaurant industry lobbyist Rick Berman is sending around a news release crowing about being included in this year's list of "star rainmakers" in Hill magazine, a publication for Washington insiders "aimed at the 100 senators, 435 House members, 40,000 aides and tens of thousands in the influence industry whose work affects the lives of all Americans." Berman has also received two "pollie" awards from the American Association for Politica

Main Source: 
http://www.thehill.com/032002/rss_top.shtm

A Spoonful of Propaganda

by Sheldon Rampton — April 11, 2002 - 10:00pm

Remember all the warnings that sugar was bad for you? It still is, says Aubrey Sheiham, professor of dental public health at University College, London - but food companies are covering it up. The sugar industry's tactics have included infiltrating nutritional advisory boards, threats of legal action against critical researchers like Sheiham, and funding of front groups such as the International Life Sciences Institute (founded in 1978 by Coca-Cola and other food companies).

Main Source: 
The Guardian (UK), April 12, 2002

Legislating Euphemism: "Irradiation" Out, "Pasteurization" In

by Laura Miller — March 5, 2002 - 12:00am

"If a last-minute provision in the Senate farm bill becomes law, irradiated hamburger could become known by a more appealing name: pasteurized beef," New York Times reporter Elizabeth Becker writes. "Senator Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who heads the Senate Agriculture Committee, said today that he had inserted the provision in an effort to 'more clearly define pasteurization,' the process by which disease-producing bacteria have long been destroyed in some foods through heating.

Main Source: 
New York Times, March 5, 2002

Don't Call It "Food Irradiation," Call It "Cold Pasteurization"

by John Stauber — February 26, 2002 - 12:00am

A news release from the Washington, D.C.-based Public Citizen organization notes that "for the past five years, the food irradiation industry has been attempting to ... change the current labeling requirements for irradiated foods so that they could be labeled as either 'cold pasteurized' or 'electronic pasteurized.' But public opposition has been stiff.

Main Source: 
Public Citizen News Release, February 26, 2002

Tobacco Lobbyist Talks Turkey, Shoots Messengers

by John Stauber — January 17, 2002 - 9:52am

A food industry website reports that lobbyist Rick Berman addressed Tuesday's annual meeting of the National Turkey Association. "What many of you don't understand is just how many different ways this industry is being attacked by groups. They are coming at you all from the animal rights side, as well as biotechnology, antibiotics hysteria, anti-corporate, labor and the factory farms angle. ...

Main Source: 
www.meatingplace.com

Booze/Tobacco Lobbyist Attacks Foundations, Grantees

by John Stauber — December 13, 2001 - 5:08pm

DC-based lobbyist Rick Berman runs the Guest Choice Network, a front group funded by tobacco, booze and food companies. Now, with much

Main Source: 
http://www.activistcash.com/

From Hard Liquor to Diet Pills

by Sheldon Rampton — December 13, 2001 - 12:00am

Judy Blatman, who helped put cocktail hour on TV for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (which represents some of the nation's largest hard-liquor companies), has been hired to represent the Council for Responsible Nutrition, which represents companies that sell diet pills and allegedly "natural" food supplements -- including ephedra, which has been linked to

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, December 13, 2001

Coke Hires Lobby Firm to Protect School Vending Machines

by Laura Miller — September 23, 2001 - 11:00pm

Coca-Cola has hired the lobbying firm Holland & Knight to ward off Federal restrictions on vending machines in schools, reports O'Dwyer's PR Daily. Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy has introduced a bill that would prohibit schools participating in the national school lunch program from selling soda and candy. Leahy was critical of soda manufacturers for pushing their products at children in a "captive market." He also cited a study linking soda consumption to child obesity and diabetes.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily, September 24, 2001

"The Food Police?" CSPI Got Big Bucks to Flack for GE Foods

by John Stauber — August 17, 2001 - 12:16pm

Last year Michael Jacobson's Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI, also known as "the food police") received $200,000 from the pro-biotechnology Rockefeller Foundation to be a moderate voice in the raging debate over genetically engineered (GE) foods. CSPI has since made many statements very favorable to GE foods and recently called for government action against companies marketing non-GE foods. Ironically, CSPI's Integrity in Science Project criticizes and reveals the special interest funding and agendas of other nonprofit organizations.

Organic Attack

by Sheldon Rampton — August 17, 2001 - 10:49am

Is organic agriculture more risky than industrial agriculture, as a series of news stories have claimed in recent years? The UK-based Soil Association has compiled a report showing how this claim is based on bogus research and other false claims stemming primarily from industry-funded think tanks. Another group, the Norwalk Genetic Information Network, has also compiled its own online report on the organic-bashers.

Main Source: 
http://www.soilassociation.org/SA/SAWebDoc.nsf/de1273b3abfd0078c225690b007d250e/...
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