|
CropLife 
Tue Mar 30, 2010 at 11:59:01 AM PDT
|
|
Pesticide Action Network has released a statement on the recess appointment of Isi Siddiqui, a biotech and pesticide lobbyist who Obama nominated and now appointed as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator. As the statement points out, his nomination was met with massive opposition from the American people as well as an extensive list of over 100 organizations.
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 401 words in story)
|
|
Sun Mar 28, 2010 at 06:11:15 AM PDT
|
|
President Barack Obama made 15 recess appointments on March 27, noting that the president's nominees "have faced an unprecedented level of obstruction in the Senate." The 15 nominees included in yesterday's announcement "have been pending for an average of 214 days or 7 months for a total of 3204 days or almost 9 years."
The full list of appointees, with short bios, can be found here. Of particular interest to the La Vida Locavore community: Obama has named Islam Siddiqui, Vice President for Science and Regulatory Affairs at CropLife America, to be the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Jill reported here a few weeks ago that more than 100 organizations opposed Siddiqui's nomination "as a textbook case of the 'revolving door' between industry and the government agencies meant to keep watch." I posted Siddiqui's official bio after the jump.
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 245 words in story)
|
|
Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 12:39:28 PM PST
|
|
For months now, Sen. Jim Bunning's had a hold on the confirmation of pesticide/biotech lobbyist Islam A. Siddiqui as America's Chief Agricultural Negotiator. Now we know why. This is hilarious, only it isn't really.
According to Congressional Quarterly, Bunning wants the U.S. Trade Rep Ron Kirk to stand up for tobacco. Yes, that's right. Canada has banned candy- and fruit-flavored cigarettes (note that is candy-flavored real cigarettes, not candy cigarettes) as they are seen to encourage young people to smoke. Bunning's upset because Canada's ban also applies to "regular cigarettes blended with flavoring ingredients to mask the harsh taste of burley tobacco." And which state is the largest producer of burley tobacco? Kentucky! The home state of Sen. Bunning.
Bunning wants Kirk to file a WTO complaint against Canada for this, which Kirk won't do. For that, Bunning is holding up any nominee that will work for Kirk, including Siddiqui.
In this case, I think it would be hard for me to agree that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I certainly don't want Siddiqui and his pro-pesticide/biotech views in our government, and I'm both thrilled and amused that Bunning's the one keeping him out (at least temporarily). But how unbelievable that in 2010, a U.S. Senator would be taking such an action because he wants to promote tobacco!!!!
|
|
Discuss
:: (0
Comments)
|
|
Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 15:28:45 PM PST
|
|
Over 100 groups are now urging the Senate to reject the nomination of top pesticide/biotech lobbyist Islam A. Siddiqui as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The Senate could, in all likelihood, gather the votes to confirm him and yet - they haven't. One thing is holding him back, and that one thing is Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning. Bunning, who is famous for erratic and seemingly irrational behavior (like his one man stand against extending unemployment benefits this past week), is blocking Siddiqui's confirmation. My hunch is that it's a matter of time before he gives in and Siddiqui gets confirmed, but in the meantime, groups opposed to Siddiqui are using the extra time to express their utter horror at the thought of a CropLife lobbyist as a top U.S. official.
Below, find some fact sheets and info from Pesticide Action Network about Siddiqui and why the Senate should reject him.
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 1477 words in story)
|
|
Wed Dec 23, 2009 at 15:03:10 PM PST
|
|
The Senate Finance Committee just voted Islam A Siddiqui out of committee. The next step is for the full Senate to vote, but they will most likely confirm him. The best place to kill any bad nominee is in committee, and it's now too late to that.
Siddiqui's a former top lobbyist for CropLife, a biotech/pesticide organization. Here's a New York Times editorial criticizing his nomination.
|
|
Discuss
:: (4
Comments)
|
|
Wed Nov 18, 2009 at 21:06:44 PM PST
|
|
Is there any hope that the Islam A. Siddiqui nomination can be thwarted or is Obama's administration isn't fully bought into "agribusiness as usual"? Siddiqui is a bigshot at CropLife, a pesticide/biotech lobby group. The Senate Finance Committee will vote on his nomination tomorrow, November 19, at 10am EST. After that, the full Senate will still need to vote to confirm him. Pesticide Action Network put out a press release today, affirming their opposition to the Siddiqui nomination. They now have 75,000 signatures on a petition opposing the nomination as well.
|
|
There's More...
:: (2
Comments, 343 words in story)
|
|
|
|
|
|
