NEW YORK: Monsanto truncated its relationship with Burson-Marsteller last week, ending a number of projects involving the company’s bioengineered food products.
NEW YORK: Monsanto truncated its relationship with
Burson-Marsteller last week, ending a number of projects involving the
company’s bioengineered food products.
While several sources within the industry speculated that Monsanto
dropped Burson in the wake of reports that the firm’s Washington, DC
office paid pro-biotech demonstrators to appear at an FDA hearing
earlier this month, Monsanto director of public affairs Scarlett Foster
dismissed the rumors.
’(Burson) was extremely professional and very good to work with in that
situation,’ she said, stressing that the decision not to continue other
planned projects with Burson has ’nothing to do’ with ’the Washington
incident.’
The controversy was inflamed by a New York Times story that claimed
Monsanto paid for a demonstration by 100 members of a local church.
Terry Wade of Burson’s DC office said that the firm only gave the
protesters money for lunch and transportation.
Foster said Burson, which had only been working for Monsanto on a
project basis, is not currently handling any biotech PR for the company.
