.@HillaryClinton Loves #Solar Power…& Monsanto?

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton seems to be staking her environmental fortunes on solar power. In anticipation of Obama’s Clean Power Plan announcement, Clinton announced her goal to expand solar power capacity 700% over the next five years, the equivalent of “putting solar panels on the roofs of more than 25 million homes.” With those kind of lofty environmental aspirations in place, what’s the deal with the (presumed) democratic candidate and Monsanto?

Because her association with Monsanto, the agribusiness almost singlehandedly responsible for the proliferation of GMOs certainly haunts Clinton in environmental circles. A quick web search pulls up hundreds of articles alleging everything from Clinton hiring tainted lobbyists to lobbying for Monsanto herself.

Here are a few facts:

In July of this year, Clinton hired Jerry Crawford, a former Monsanto lobbyist, to head her “Ready for Hillary” Super PAC.

In September 2014, the Clinton Global Initiative invited Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant to speak at a conference.

And perhaps most damning were Clinton’s own words, spoken at the BIO Convention in June 2014.

“I stand in favor of using seeds and products that have a proven track record…. The question of genetically modified food or hybrids has gone on for many, many years. And there is again a big gap between what the facts are and what perceptions are.”

Skip to 28:00 to watch what she says:

What do you think? To me, she seems wrong on several points, including the fact that genetically modified is not the same as hybridization, and that a farmer who plants “drought-resistant”–apparently her preferred marketing term for GMO–seeds can’t then turn around and “sell the excess,” unless he wants to get sued.

So yes, more solar power is a good thing. But with soil management–and especially the push for soil regeneration–front and center in the fight against climate change, can Hillary Clinton stand as an environmental candidate?

I’m so conflicted. What do you think? Are you pro-Hillary? I love what Bernie Sanders stands for, but I can’t see him winning the country. And Elizabeth Warren isn’t running. Is there another viable option?