The Story Behind False Claims Against USDA
March 17, 2016
From: Science 2.0
By Jon Entine
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The panel said Lundgren, who remains on the USDA payroll until his allegations are resolved, was suspended, twice, for cause — a travel-related infraction and for conduct unbecoming a federal employee. A few days after the panel’s ruling, Lundgren withdrew his whistleblower case with the intention of expanding his allegations and refiling, according to his lawyer. A few days later Volk’s sympathetic feature story came out, prompting this sharp response from the USDA:
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Lundgren will also gain financially from this appearance, another violation of the government’s ethical policy. He and his wife Jenna are the owners of Blue Dash Farm, which is a for-profit organic enterprise that recently raised $83,000 on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo. His pitch: In a video entitled “Support a metamorphosis in food production using nature’s principles,” a polemic against the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, Lundgren rebrands himself as an agro-ecologist. Donors to the ‘research farm” who give Lundgren $100 earn the title of “Blue Dasher Tree Hugger” and are sent a t-shirt. Blue Dasher opened its doors May 7, 2015.
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