from Independent Media Centre
Owner of anti-organic food site apparently a USDA employee?
by Robin Banks 2:00pm Sat Feb 17 '01
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Apparently the creator of the anti-organic foods website "purefoods.org" is a USDA employee. How interesting is that?
Today I discovered the website purefoods.org. It's a hysterical denunciation of organic food.

A sample of article titles:
"FRESH FIELDS -- THE NEW EVIL EMPIRE"
This article is based on an open letter written by Consumer Alert, an organization that pretends to consist of consumer advocates but who are in fact shills for corporations.
Documentation:
http://www.ewg.org/dirtymoney/cma.html
http://www.radio4all.org/anarchy/fakes.html
http://www.worldwatch.org/mag/1999/ngo.pdf
"ORGANIC FOOD IS BAD FOR YOU"
"ORGANIC FOOD IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT"

What is most interesting about this website is that it is completely unsigned and unattributed. There is no contact information. No email address, no phone number, no mailing address, nothing.
Of course, anyone can use Network Solutions' handy WHOIS tool to find out more about any website. Here is what Network Solutions told me about purefoods.org --
Registrant:
CURRAN, FREDERICK (PUREFOODS4-DOM)
1800 M ST NW BOX 33433
WASHINGTON, DC 20033
US
Domain Name: PUREFOODS.ORG
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Billing Contact:
CURRAN, FREDERICK (FCO20) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CURRAN, FREDERICK
1800 M ST NW BOX 33433
WASHINGTON, DC 20033
2027287510
1800 M St NW, Washington DC. What's at that address?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture. That's right.
Don't believe me? See it yourself at their website:
http://www.afmtestlab.ars.usda.gov/space/Mainpage.htm
So apparently this Frederick Curran fellow works at a USDA building (in room 33433?) and is using his employer's address to receive mail for his anti-organic foods website.
Can anyone say "conflict of interest"?
I don't have time to follow up on this story, but if anyone would like to investigate this situation, please go right ahead.