"Preemptive
action must be taken."
ZWN Field
correspondent -Michael Pacholski
Springfield,
Illinois- USA
Posted: 14th, Dec. 2008
 Springfield,
Illinois: As Governor Rod Blagojevich's legal woes mount and mount,
the purity of the nation's food supply remains a source of concern.
Though there is no proven link between food consumption and the so-called
"necromortosis virus" which has caused isolated zombie outbreaks,
recent concerns over genetically modified foods have inflamed since
the virus was discovered in 2006 and most recently in the United States
when a suspected zombie outbreak occurred recently in New
Jersey.
The governor is a staunch supporter of controversial legislation
calling for strict government oversight of soybean and corn production.
"This legislation would make our food supply safe against this
hideous and tragic virus," the governor insisted as early as Januray
2008. "Preemptive action must be taken." Blagojevich was speaking
specifically of the Noland/Rifeld Act which would provide twenty five
million dollars to Illinois' corn-growing and testing industries to
develop equipment and testing procedures designed specifically to thwart
the necromortosis virus.
However, local legislators, corn growers and food researchers have been
skeptical of the legislation since its inception. "Further research
must be done to determine the structure of the virus on a DNA level
before we can develop anything practical, effective, and safe to destroy
it. The two-year time table in the legislation is clearly unrealistic,"
said University of Illinois Professor of Agriculture Lindsay Graham.
Senator John Rifeld, R-Carbondale, however said the legislation was
important as a stimulus for advance research. "I believe advance
research and advance knowledge can be very effective tools. This legislation
provides those tools that can help in a pending crisis," the senator
said in a recent press conference. Asked to clarify he said, "the
finer points of the bill provide money and other ways to research the
exact nature and structure of this virus."
"This is typical of legislation supported by the Governor. If Archer
Daniels Midland takes the bait then they have to submit to further and
invasive government oversight into all other areas of production outside
of the necrovirus. Government interference would, in fact, impede not
just research into the virus but would slow down production in other
areas as well," said Senator Mike Lugan (R-Danville). "That's
typical of Blagojevich's pet legislations. Pretty on the outside. A
poison pill on the inside. This poison pill would gut one of the state's
leading industrial giants."
However, with the recent allegations of attempting to sell the United
States Senate Seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama among
others, it would seem that whatever impetus the Noland/Rifeld act had
could wane in light of Blagojevich's recent troubles. "I think
Noland/Rifeld is probably taking a back burner right now in everyone's
minds, at least here in Illinois," said States Attorney General
Lisa Madigan who recently called for the state senate to remove Blagojevich
from power. "But who knows. Given the upcoming FBI indictments,
a stab at anti-zombie legislation might seem like a welcome vacation
for him."
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