| I've got a new piece up on Alternet about food industry front groups. See, here's how it works if you're a company that wants the public to stop whining about the pesticides you use to grow their food:
1. Step one: Lobby the government to allow the pesticides (and the levels of pesticides) you want to use. Have your scientists say the pesticides are safe. Try to discredit other scientists who say they are not safe. Use uncertainty as your weapon (i.e. "There is NO PROOF that this chemical causes cancer." Cuz, you know, if there's been no tests to find out if it causes cancer, of course there's no proof.).
2. Step two: Tell the public (or have your front group tell the public) that your pesticides are safe because they underwent a stringent federal approval process and they are only present on the food in what the U.S. government believes are "safe" amounts - or less!
3. Step three: See if you can get government officials to say that too! And maybe health professionals. Because people trust them. After all, the government and health professionals aren't out to sell a product. They care about your well-being. (This is easiest if your former employees are now federal officials. It's also nice if some of your employees have fancy university degrees and titles, like Registered Dietitian or Masters in Public Health.) |
