Researcher: Amanda Peterson
University: St. Cloud State University
Faculty Evaluator: Julie Andrzejewski
Islam Siddiqui is appointed to be chief of agricultural negotiator in the office of the U.S. trade representative. A former pesticide lobbyist and part of a pesticide trade group that lobbies to weaken environmental laws. He wants to ensure the perpetuation of pesticide and fossil-fuel-intensive policies and overseen the development of the first national organic labeling standards. When he allowed sewage sludge-fertilized, genetically modified, and irradiated food to be labeled as organic before public protest forced more stringent standards. He is trying to make everyone believe that pesticides are good to use and that they should allow growers to use them on organic food. This is not someone we want in control of our environment; someone that is saying that pesticides are not pollutants.
Title: Obama Puts Pesticide Pusher in Charge of Agricultural Trade Relations
Author: The Center for Biological Diversity
News Sources: Commondreams.org , March 29, 2010
URL: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/03/29-0
Researcher: Amanda Peterson
Faculty Evaluator: Julie Andrzejewski
St. Cloud State University