• Susan Mayne , director , Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition , FDA
Mayne leads the FDA division that has the power to require labeling of genetically engineered foods ( as long as the DARK Act doesn ’ t pass ), but we don ’ t know where she stands on consumers ’ right to know . Mayne came to the FDA just this year from the Yale Cancer Center . As the associate director of the Yale Cancer Center , Mayne was critical of research showing an 87-percent higher pancreatic cancer risk among regular soda drinkers . Mayne published her own research that disputed links between soda consumption and esophageal cancer . Most soda contains high fructose corn syrup made from GMO corn .
• Joanna Lidback , producer , The Farm at Wheeler Mountain , Barton , Vt .
Lidback is a graduate of the American Farm Bureau ’ s Monsanto-funded Partners in Agricultural Leadership program . Lidback has an MBA and works full-time as a business consultant toYankee Farm Credit . She is the first vice president of the Orleans County Farm Bureau . She ’ s on the board of directors of the Truth About Trade & Technology . Lidback also represents Agri-Mark , the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives , and the National Milk Producers Federation , as a dairy farmer producing milk for Cabot Cheese . Vermont ’ s GMO labeling law won ’ t impact Lidback ’ s farm because it doesn ’ t cover the products of animals fed genetically engineered feed , but Lidback is expected to falsely claim that the law will put her farm out of business .
• Daryl E . Thomas , senior vice president , Herr Foods , Inc ., Nottingham , Pa .
Herr Foods represents the typical food company that wants to make money from the market for non-GMO foods , while keeping consumers in the dark about which foods contain GMO ingredients . On Herr ’ s website , the company explains its twisted position this way : “ We know that food safety is paramount to everyone . So while we continue to explore opportunities to offer the latest developments in non-GMO ingredients , we remain committed to delivering to you the safest and best tasting snacks possible .” Herr ’ s recently began marketing a non-GMO popcorn calledGo-Lite ! Herr ’ s has been lobbying against mandatory GMO labels with the Snack Foods Association .
• Gary Hirshberg , chairman and co-founder , Stonyfield Farm Inc ., Concord , N . H . Hirshberg is the only witness from “ our side .”
• Gregory Jaffe , project director , Biotechnology , Center for Science in the Public Interest ( CSPI )
CSPI opposes GMO labels and safety testing . CSPI supports legislation introduced by Sen . Dick Durbin ( D-Ill .) in 2004 which was intended to permanently change the Federal Food , Drug and Cosmetic Act so that it “ does not subject most genetically engineered foods to the lengthy food additive approval process .” Sen . Durbin ’ s bill is a tacit acknowledgement that GMOs are supposed to go through the food additive approval process , and an admission that in order to exempt Monsanto from that requirement , the law must change . As Steven Druker explains in
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