T. COLIN CAMPBELL, at his core, is still a farm boy from northern Virginia. When we spend time together, we inevitably share our stories from the farm. Whether it is spreading cow manure, driving tractors or herding cattle, both of us share a rich history in farming. But from these backgrounds, both he and I went on to other careers. It is for his other career accomplishments that I came to admire Colin.
He was involved in the discovery of a chemical later called dioxin, and he went on to direct one of the most important diet and health studies ever conducted, the China Study.
In between, he authored hundreds of scientific papers, sat on numerous government expert panels and helped shape national and international diet and health organizations, like the American Institute for Cancer Research/World Cancer Research Fund.
As a scientist, he has played an instrumental role in how our country views diet and health. And yet, as I have gotten to know Colin on a personal level, I have come to respect him for reasons other than just his list of professional accomplishments. I have come to respect him for his courage and integrity.
Colin seriously questions the status quo, and even though the scientific evidence is on his side, going against the grain is never easy. I know this well because I have been a co-defendant with Oprah Winfrey when a group of cattlemen decided to sue her after she stated her intention not to eat beef.
I have been in Washington, D.C., lobbying for better
agricultural practices and fighting to change the way we raise and grow
food in this country. I have taken on some of the most influential, wellfunded groups in the country and I know that it's not easy.
