“To think at this point, I was on their radar and I had no clue,” Parent said.
The strategizing was revealed in emails, along with thousands of other pages of documents released in a freedom of information request by HYPERLINK "http://usrtk.org/" \t "_blank" US Right to Know (USRTK), a non-profit advocacy group funded by the Organic Consumers Association concerned with the safety of GMOs.
The documents revealed the increasingly vicious public relations war over GMOs.
“It’s mostly scientists that they attack, but Rachel is a standout. The agrichemical industry is plainly quite threatened by this teenage schoolgirl, so that’s why they’re after her,” Gary Ruskin, the co-director of USRTK said.
The documents plainly show that professors and academics were contacted by companies like Monsanto and the industry trade association’s public relations firm to provide expert opinion and offer credibility in a complicated debate.
Charla Lord of Monsanto told Global News in an email, “the relationships between the public and private sector are critical and have existed for decades,” said Lord. “We see public-private collaborations as essential to the advancement of science, as well as to educating and sometimes correcting misinformation the public has about plant biotechnology.”
Trish Jordan, also of Monsanto Canada told Global News that Monsanto does not ask academics to keep their relationships with the company under wraps.
“No, absolutely not. We fully understand that transparency is expected. It’s a goal of ours,” Jordan said.
“Holding Activists Accountable”
In a 2013 email, a Monsanto executive contacted scientists and professors from various universities suggesting topics. That email proposed Folta write about “Holding Activists Accountable.”
The email to Folta went on to say: “Demonstrate how activists’ messages and tactics regarding Genetically Modified (GM) crops and plant biotechnology undermine worldwide efforts to ensure a safe, nutritious, plentiful and affordable food supply using responsible and sustainable agricultural practices.”
“The key to success is participation by all of you – recognized experts and leaders with the knowledge, reputation and communication experience needed to communicate authoritatively to the target groups. You represent an elite group.”
The email also suggested Folta show how “activist campaigns… spread false information that goes unchallenged and results In further erosion of the public’s confidence in agricultural innovation.”
A video appeared online that was quite specific, entitled, “How do you agree/disagree with 14 year old GMO Activist?”The video talked about Parent’s activism, her belief that all GMO food products should be labelled, and addressed her apparent lack of scientific knowledge.
Parent said she finds the tone of the video “almost degrading.”
She also defended the information on her organization’s website as scientifically sound.
“People can say whatever they want about me, but as long as I know what I am doing is right, their opinion doesn’t matter.”
Parent continues her quest to get GMO ingredients in food labelled, and she knows she faces some serious opposition.
“We are still going strong with our message of right to know…we’re just appealing to simple transparency,” said Parent.
Everyone has the right to know what is in our food and what we put on our tables and into our mouths.
Source:
http://globalnews.ca/news/2414720/documents-reveal-canadian-teenager-the-target-of-gmo-lobby/
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