US President Bush has nominated Linda Fisher, a former vice president of government affairs at Monsanto (St. Louis, MO), to be deputy administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, DC). Fisher, who is an attorney, previously served at EPA between 1983 and 1993; in terms of biotechnology experience in the agency, she was appointed in 1989 to assistant administrator for pesticides and toxic substances during a period when several of the first genetically modified crops were under review. Many biotechnology critics quickly blasted her recent appointment on the part of the administration, claiming that Fisher will be pro-industry and pro-Monsanto. However, a company spokesperson and other industry representatives are equally quick to point out that Fisher will be under sharp scrutiny and explicit restrictions in any dealings with her former employer.
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Fox, J. EPA deputy administrator named. Nat Biotechnol 19, 499 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/89174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/89174
