Ketchum Archives

Keith Kloor: How a science journalist worked behind the scenes with industry allies

Stacy Malkan | November 1, 2018

Keith Kloor is a freelance journalist and an adjunct journalism faculty member at New York University who has written for Nature, Science Insider, Slateand dozens of articles for Discover Magazinepromoting genetically engineered foods and attacking critics of the pesticide industry, while also assisting industry public relations efforts behind the scenes. Emails obtained by U.S. Right … Keith Kloor: How a science journalist worked behind the scenes with industry allies

Our Investigation of Big Food and its Front Groups

Gary Ruskin | September 5, 2015

Update: This blog has been updated to include a running list of news stories and commentary generated by our ongoing investigation. U.S. Right to Know is conducting an investigation into the collusion between Big Food, its front groups, and university faculty and staff to deliver industry PR to the public.That investigation is ongoing. Thus far, … Our Investigation of Big Food and its Front Groups

Julie Kelly cooks up propaganda for the pesticide industry

Stacy Malkan | February 13, 2017

Julie Kelly is a food writer and cooking instructor who emerged in 2015 as a fierce advocate for the agrichemical industry, with articles defending pesticides, arguing against GMO labeling and attacking the organic food industry. Her work has appeared in the National Review, The Hill, Huffington Post, the Wall Street Journal and Forbes. An award-winning … Julie Kelly cooks up propaganda for the pesticide industry

Why is Cornell University Hosting a GMO Propaganda Campaign?

Stacy Malkan | January 22, 2016

This article by Stacy Malkan original appeared in The Ecologist The founders of Cornell University, Andrew D. White and Ezra Cornell, dreamed of creating a great university that took a radical approach to learning. Their revolutionary spirit, and the promise to pursue knowledge for the greater good, is said to be at the heart of … Why is Cornell University Hosting a GMO Propaganda Campaign?

How Tamar Haspel Misleads Readers of the Washington Post

Stacy Malkan | August 23, 2018

Tamar Haspel is a freelance journalist who has been writing monthly food columns for the Washington Post since October 2013. Her columns frequently promote and defend pesticide industry products, while she also receives payments to speak at industry-aligned events, and sometimes from industry groups. This practice of journalists receiving payments from industry groups, known as … How Tamar Haspel Misleads Readers of the Washington Post

Key pesticide industry PR group CBI closes; GMO Answers moves to CropLife

Stacy Malkan | September 2, 2020

The Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI), a major public relations initiative launched two decades ago by leading agrichemical companies to persuade the public to accept GMOs and pesticides, has shut down. A spokesperson confirmed via email that CBI “dissolved at the end of 2019, and its assets, including the GMO Answers platform, were transferred to … Key pesticide industry PR group CBI closes; GMO Answers moves to CropLife

Nina Fedoroff: Mobilizing the authority of American science to back Monsanto

Stacy Malkan | June 18, 2019

Nina Fedoroff, PhD, is one of the most influential scientists advocating for the proliferation and deregulation of genetically engineered foods. As president and board chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) from 2011-2013, she used her position to advance policy objectives of the pesticide and biotechnology industries. In 2015, Dr. Fedoroff … Nina Fedoroff: Mobilizing the authority of American science to back Monsanto

GMO Answers is a marketing campaign funded by pesticide companies

Stacy Malkan | August 31, 2020

GMO Answers is billed as a forum where consumers can get straight answers from independent experts about genetically engineered foods (GMOs) and pesticides. Some journalists have taken it seriously as an unbiased source. But the evidence shows that GMO Answer is an industry funded marketing tool to spin GMOs in a positive light. Documents described … GMO Answers is a marketing campaign funded by pesticide companies

Drew Kershen: agrichemical industry front group ringleader

Stacy Malkan | May 1, 2018

Drew Kershen, professor emeritus at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, is a close ally of the agrichemical industry. He argues for deregulation of genetically engineered plants and animals and against transparency. Kershen has played a key role in agrichemical industry-funded promotional efforts and front groups that lobby for industry interests. Kershen does not … Drew Kershen: agrichemical industry front group ringleader

CBI, GMO Answers, CropLife: pesticide industry PR salvos

Stacy Malkan | September 2, 2020

The Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI) was a public relations campaign launched in April 2000 by seven leading chemical/seed companies and their trade groups to persuade the public to accept genetically engineered foods. The initiative — created in response to public concerns about the health and environmental risks of genetically engineered foods — said its … CBI, GMO Answers, CropLife: pesticide industry PR salvos

Alison Van Eenennaam: key outside spokesperson and lobbyist for the pesticide and GMO industries

Stacy Malkan | April 12, 2022

Alison Van Eenennaam, PhD, a Professor of Cooperative Extension in Animal Biotechnology and Genomics at University of California, Davis, is a leading promoter of genetically engineered animals, crops and the pesticides that accompany them, and an advocate for deregulation. Dr. Van Eenennaam is a former Monsanto employee who opposes requiring safety studies for genetically engineered … Alison Van Eenennaam: key outside spokesperson and lobbyist for the pesticide and GMO industries

The misleading ways of Dr. Kevin Folta

Stacy Malkan | June 20, 2023

Kevin Folta, Ph.D., a professor in the Horticulture Sciences Department at University of Florida, has provided inaccurate information and engaged in misleading activities in his efforts to promote genetically engineered foods and pesticides. He is a senior contributing columnist to the Genetic Literacy Project, a chemical industry promotion group that receives funding from Bayer. He … The misleading ways of Dr. Kevin Folta

Bayer’s shady PR firms: FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, FTI Consulting

Stacy Malkan | November 11, 2020

Originally posted May 2019; updated November 2020 Public relations firms Bayer AG and Monsanto relied on to deflect cancer concerns about glyphosate — including FTI consulting, Ketchum PR and FleishmanHillard — have long histories of using deceptive tactics to promote pesticide, tobacco and oil industry interests. Updates FTI Consulting’s shady tactics for the oil industry: Based on … Bayer’s shady PR firms: FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, FTI Consulting

An Open Letter to Professor Kevin Folta on FOIA Requests

Gary Ruskin | February 12, 2015

Dear Professor Folta: Yesterday there was some news coverage and commentary about our use of the state Freedom of Information Acts to obtain the correspondence of professors who wrote for the agrichemical industry’s PR website, GMO Answers. We’re glad to have a public conversation about this topic with the professors involved. We believe that transparency … An Open Letter to Professor Kevin Folta on FOIA Requests

A Short Report on Journalists Mentioned in our FOIA Requests

Gary Ruskin | September 28, 2015

Also see: Buckraking on the Food Beat: When is it a conflict of interest? Washington Post Food Columnist Goes to Bat for Monsanto On September 23rd, Washington Post food columnist Tamar Haspel admitted to receiving “plenty” of money from pro-agrichemical industry sources. Following her admission, I thought it might be useful to report on journalists … A Short Report on Journalists Mentioned in our FOIA Requests

Agrichemical Trade Groups: Biotechnology Innovation Organization and Council for Biotechnology Information

Stacy Malkan | March 1, 2018

BIO – key facts The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), formerly the Biotechnology Industry Organization, is a trade association representing over1,000 companies and industry groups including pesticide, pharmaceutical and biotech corporations. The group markets genetic engineering as a solution to “heal the world, fuel the world, feed the world,” and it organizes lobbying committees in 15 … Agrichemical Trade Groups: Biotechnology Innovation Organization and Council for Biotechnology Information

The Future Of Food Needs Transparency And Integrity

Susan Lang | July 24, 2018

This article was originally published in Investor’s Business Daily . ByStacy Malkan and Carey Gillam “Food companies can’t figure out what Americans want to eat,” according to a June Wall Street Journal article. Food industry CEOs are “rushing for the exits,” WSJ reported in October, and the food lobby is “splintering,” Politico explained, as food … The Future Of Food Needs Transparency And Integrity

U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance – key facts

Gary Ruskin | January 21, 2015

Summary * Funders include Monsanto and DuPont * Small farmers criticized use of mandatory marketing fees to promote “Big Ag” * Other partners include BASF, Dow *USFRA is represented by PR giant Ketchum *Ketchum’s clients include the Russian Federation *Ketchum’s work for the Russian Federation include pushing propaganda for Putin, aiding in a campaign to … U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance – key facts

The GMO Industry Doesn’t Want You to See This Video

Gary Ruskin | February 9, 2015

In this video, the GMO industry’s main PR firm, Ketchum, brags about how it spun the media on GMO issues, and how it snoops on the social media accounts of people concerned about GMOs. The video was just taken down after we called attention to it, probably because it’s embarrassing to Ketchum and the agrichemical … The GMO Industry Doesn’t Want You to See This Video

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