GM crop promoter becomes Bush's new Ag Secretary

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GM crop promoter becomes Bush's new Ag Secretary

" GM WATCH " <info

 

Sun, 5 Dec 2004 09:24:12 GMT

 

 

GM crop promoter becomes Bush's new Ag Secretary

http://www.gmwatch.org

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multiple items

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/12/20041202-6.html

President Nominates Governor Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture

 

The Roosevelt Room

 

President's Remarks

 

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Good morning.

 

I am pleased to announce my nomination of Governor Mike Johanns to be

the Secretary of Agriculture.

 

GOVERNOR JOHANNS: Thank you, Mr. President.

 

THE PRESIDENT: Governor Johanns is an experienced public service --

servant from America's agricultural heartland. As a son of Iowa dairy

farmers, he grew up close to the land. He will bring to this position a

lifetime of involvement in agriculture, and a long record of a faithful

friend to America's farmers and ranchers. He will lead an important

agency with the executive skill he has learned as mayor and as a two-term

 

governor of Nebraska.

 

I've known Mike for a number of years, going back to my own service as

a governor. I know firsthand his deep commitment to a strong farm

economy. He's been a leader on drought relief in Nebraska and

throughout the

Midwest. He's a strong proponent of alternative energy sources, such as

ethanol and biodiesel. He's traveled the world to promote American farm

exports...

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http://www.theindependent.com/stories/051702/new_johannseurope17.html

(Associated Press, May 17, 2002)

 

LINCOLN -- Gov. Mike Johanns is leading a delegation of state

agriculture directors to attend three days of meetings in Brussels,

with the

goal of opening markets for genetically engineered crops.

 

Johanns left Friday for the trip and will return May 23. The delegation

he is leading, as chairman of the 12-state Midwestern Governors'

Conference, includes representatives from Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri

and

Ohio.

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http://www.theindependent.com/stories/052202/new_johannsag22.html

Johanns leads talk about biotechnology with European leaders

(May 22, 2002 Associated Press)

 

European leaders have been getting an earful this week from a

delegation of farm state officials trying open markets for genetically

engineered crops.

 

Gov. Mike Johanns is leading a delegation of state agriculture

directors attending meetings in Brussels, Belgium, with European Union

parliament leaders, ag producer groups, and consumer and environmental

groups.

 

" We've been talking as publicly as we can about the safety of these

products, " Johanns said.

 

Johanns said he expected the EU to require biotech products to be

labeled so consumers can tell what they are getting.

 

" If companies are required to detail the use of biotechnology ... you

can begin to understand just how onerous this process can be, " Johanns

said. " What we do fear is labeling that is so onerous, so extensive,

that it literally closes the market to our products. "

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http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry2e9b.html?recid=1741

(Thursday, June 12, 2003 -- CropChoice news) -- Lincoln Journal Star

editorial, 06/11/03: Gov. Mike Johanns and other Nebraskans are on a

trade mission to Japan to find more customers for the state's grains and

other products.

 

But in other parts of the world, the dispute over genetically modified

crops continues to slow trade opportunities for Nebraska and the rest

of the nation's farmers and ranchers.

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http://safefood.homestead.com/TaftLetter.html

According to a recent news report, the Governors Biotechnology

Partnership was founded a year ago by 13 founding members to explore

ways to

advance biotechnology.

 

Governor Mike Johanns said, " The Partnership provides a platform for

Governors to promote informed discussion about safe and efficient methods

of food production for the whole world utilizing biotechnology. The

promise of biotechnology includes new crops that mature faster, produce

more, resist drought and insects, and provide better nutrition. The

potential will exist to feed hundreds of millions of malnourished and

starving people in underdeveloped countries around the world,

especially in

Asia and Africa, in a way never before possible. "

 

At the recent annual meeting of the National Governors Association,

Governor Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa), who chairs the organization, and Governor

Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska), vice chair, announced that 27 Governors are

now members of the Biotechnology Partnership.

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http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2004-12-02-bush-ag_x.htm

Bush nominates Johanns as agriculture secretary

 

excerpts:

 

If his nomination is confirmed, Johanns will head the

$78-billion-a-year U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has 113,000

employees. The USDA

oversees and regulates farm, forest and food programs.

 

He has also been a major promoter of the sale of American agriculture

products overseas. He has taken trade delegations to Japan, Taiwan,

China, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil and

Chile...

 

Challenges likely to come up soon for the new secretary include further

opening overseas markets to U.S. agricultural products, including the

explosive issue of selling bioengineered crops to Europe, and

shepherding the next version of the farm appropriations bill.

 

Other key issues include regulation of genetically engineered

agricultural products and the possibility that another case of mad cow

disease

will be found as the USDA's testing program continues.

 

 

 

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