Isn’t that akin to Ringling Brothers setting zoo standards—or John Wayne Gacy being put in charge of child care center laws? Maybe it’s not that bad, but it’s funny—I was just telling a skeptical uncle of mine (he’s a conservative who never bleeds along with my liberal heart, apparently) about the dangers of Monsanto foods and how there’s about as much pesticide sprinkled in his potatoes as parsley—and lo and behold, this message was in my inbox today.

I can’t believe that Monsanto lobbyists, of all people, are being appointed to the Food and Drug Administration. First there’s Michael Taylor, now the senior advisor to the FDA Commissioner on food safety. Taylor supported the sale of dairy products made with untested hormones, tried to get rid of safety testing on genetically modified foods completely, and worked to weaken a law called the Delaney Clause, which prevented manufactures from knowingly allowing carcinogens into foods.

Then there’s Dennis Wolff, who may be a bit more qualified for his nomination for Under-Secretary of Agriculture from his experience as the Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary—but who also has worked super hard to fight legislation that would allow people to know just what’s in the products they buy, such as the Monsanto genetically engineered rBGH (bovine growth hormone) that he used quite a bit himself as a farmer.

Genetically engineered or modified foods have always sort of scared me. I remember joining The Campaign (to Label Genetically Engineered Foods) as an undergraduate, wholly surprised and outraged that we are able to buy foods that don’t tell us if they’re “real” or not. Since then, I’ve learned that they’re not even really safe to eat—like much of the stuff the FDA already allows us to consume, actually!—and have had averse reactions in the intestines of rats in some studies. Other concerns include the lack of enough data and testing on whether these foods are safe, and possible negative effects on current crops’ growth.

Supporters of GE foods have always cited examples where people without food to begin with could benefit from such manmade creations, and I would agree—except for the fact that it has been suggested that there is really enough food to go around; the problem is not in quantity, but in distribution—and given that GE foods are much more expensive, if countries could not afford food to begin with, they would certainly not be able to pay for GE foods.

If you’d like to oppose this appointment and nomination, you can write to President Obama, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelus through the Organic Consumers Association website. Be sure to add your own comments if you prefer, as personalized letters often make a stronger impact.