Line 4Line 4 Copyic/close/grey600play_circle_outline - material
< Back to Meet the Experts Home

Lisa Drake

Former Lead, State and Local Government Affairs, Monsanto Company

Expert Bio

My grandfather and father both worked in sugar beet fields near Brush, Colorado. But like so many people today in the United States, we are now two generations removed from the farm. I started as a reporter and have worked for Monsanto for more than 25 years. Working with farmers is the best job in the world, especially to be in a position to communicate their passion about the food they provide for all of us.

Studies, Articles and Answers

Filter by

Showing 3 out of 3 results

Question

Q: If GMOs are such a safe and great idea, then why would Monsanto not be proud to label the products, then proceed to educate people on the reasons they want to control the world's food and wipe out the smaller natural organic farmers??

Answered By David B. Schmidt - Dec 20, 2013

A: Many groups and individuals opposed to the use of biotechnology to produce food have spread misinformation to create fear, which has led to anecdotal reports of the types of claims you describe.  Many studies have tried to replicate the types of  harm described in claims that have fueled such misinformation, but no credible scientific bodies could confirm the alleged harms.  A recent example is an article that The Food and Chemical Toxicology journal retracted in early December 2013, based on a French study that claimed rats could develop tumors if exposed to the herb [...]

Answered By Lisa Drake - Aug 04, 2013

A: This is a multi-faceted question, so I’m going to break this down into several bullets to try to address all of your points. Monsanto breeds and sells both GM and conventional seeds to our farmer customers, and we support their right to choose the seeds that are the best fit for their individual farms. Individual seed products are clearly identified as containing GM traits where appropriate, and farmers choose and are aware of the type of product they are buying.Although Monsanto doesn’t sell food or have products that can be labeled for consumers, we support food companies’ choices to v [...]

GMOs in Groceries Health & Safety Labeling

Question

Q: Why did Monsanto threaten the state of CT with a law suit if we passed the labeling bill last year? Have something to hide?

Answered By Lisa Drake - Aug 14, 2013

A: Monsanto has not threatened to sue any state over GMO food labeling. This is a myth first propagated by the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) in Vermont during the 2012 Vermont legislative season. Monsanto responded in a blog post, correcting the record and pointing out that the Vermont Attorney General and Vermont Legislative Council, in fact, raised legal constitutionality questions in an Agriculture Committee hearing. The source of the claim is the Organic Consumers Association. They said it. We never did. [...]

Business Practices GMOs & Farmers Labeling

Question

Q: If the Monsanto company is treating to sue Maine for passing the GMO labeling law, can't we sue them because it against one of the amendments. The amendment is its illegal for someone in another state to sue a state they aren't citizens of.

Answered By Lisa Drake - Dec 20, 2013

A: I appreciate the opportunity to clarify this misinformation.  Monsanto has not threatened to sue Maine over GMO food labeling.  The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) first propagated this myth in Vermont during the 2012 legislative season.  For more information, please read my response to a similar allegation about Connecticut:  http://gmoanswers.com/ask/why-did-monsanto-threaten-state-ct-law-suit-if-we-passed-labeling-bill-last-year-have-something. [...]

GMOs in Groceries Health & Safety Labeling