Dear Secretary Vilsack,
I was initially a skeptic when you were appointed but thus far you've impressed me. That said, I would definitely change my positive opinion of you if you choose to appoint either Michael Osterholm or Michael Taylor to any position at the USDA. I ask that you take the lead in helping America protect the safety of its food supply by appointing a real reformer at the I USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) position and advising President Obama not to name Michael Taylor to any position in the administration.
Please appoint someone other than Michael Osterholm, who has proven to be too biased in favor of a single technology that has been ineffective in stopping food safety outbreaks and is something that most American consumers don't want. My feeling on irradiation is that sterile shit is still shit and I don't want it in my food. As Marion Nestle called it, "it is a late-stage techno-fix to a problem that should never have happened in the first place."
I took the President at his word when he said he would close the revolving door in this new administration and I know that you want to lead a new era at the USDA. If you look in the dictionary under "revolving door" you will literally see Michael Taylor's picture. Why would you want to open up the USDA to that kind of critique or ridicule by appointing him?
Please appoint true reformers to positions within the USDA to help you transform America's food and farm system for the 21st century.
Thanks for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jill Richardson
More info coming on this topic soon, courtesy of Ms. Obama Foodorama :) I urge everyone to send letters like this to the email address listed above - or wait for more information and send your own personalized letter then.
