Just wonderful - food safety and politics

From the Los Angeles Times:

Government food safety scientists report political, corporate interference
Scientists and inspectors at the federal agencies responsible for food safety say they face political and corporate interference with their work, according to a survey released Monday by the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonpartisan advocate for unbiased science in government.

The survey suggests a continuation of problems that government scientists had complained about during the George W. Bush administration, despite Obama administration pledges not to let politics intrude on scientific conclusions. And it comes more than a year after the administration promised to issue new rules to protect scientific integrity.

More than 1,700 scientists and inspectors at the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture responded to the survey, which was conducted by the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology at Iowa State University.

The survey found only a slight improvement in perception of the agencies' approach to science under the Obama administration.

"What we found is that action is needed to curtail interference in science, both political and that driven by the private sector," said Francesca Grifo, director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "We have two very different agencies giving very identical responses, and this suggests the need for broad reform."

Emphasis mine -- and do not hold your breath waiting for this so called "reform" as it will never happen under the current administration. This administration is about building a bigger government and accumulation of power. It is not about us, the taxpayers. The people in Washington are not our representatives, they view themselves as elite, above the little people. 2010. 2012. Vote the suckers out!