I'll always vote yes for research. I'm a Registered Nurse. That role wouldn't exist without wit, knowledge, common sense & RESEARCH! There is even a large role, for the Registered Nurse, in research departments all over the country. I know for a fact that Louisiana State University has a research department, bc I went the Charity School if Nursing, right next door. That dept at LSU knew we were financially broke, with not much time to work & could use quick cash. There were always flyers by the elevators for different studies they paid you to participate in. I did one for the HPV vaccine. Only, they won't tell me if I was in the control group, or not. But, I got free HIV, STD, CBC, CMP, gynecological exam, free condoms & lube, even female condoms to try. And, the best part was weekly visits @ $50/visit x 10 visits = $500 for a poor Nursing student. With the convenience of walking distance from school, I couldn't pass it up. I simply scheduled appointments around class/clinicals. This was in 2002 ish. I have never had any side effects and still don't today. The RN was super nice & patient. She even told me things about my cervix that no gynecologist ever bothered to tell me. And, she was right. It wasn't anything harmful. But, it's nice to know these things. I was about 29 at the time. You'd think an MD would've told me by now. We need research for so many reasons. We need to research what is good AND what is considered bad, or potentially bad, for our health, the environment, our food....such as the corporation of MONSANTO!!!! Of all the research needed, this should take priority, by outside resources. Not by Monsanto. Not by the FDA. Not by any facility associate with the government. An independent research facility. In fact, the #MarchAgainstMonsantoNOLA is this Saturday, May 23 @ 11am starting at Duncan Plaza...that's right! Right in front of City Hall. It's an annual, world wide event on this day. And, like last year, it falls on Memorial day weekend. The French quarter will be Pat, presuming we have good weather. We have permits & police escorts. And, as always, it will be a peaceful protest. In fact, we're doing it New Orleans style. Like last year, we are having a brass band play behind us, as we march from City Hall through the streets of New Orleans, making a left towards Decatur & ending at the steps across from Jackson Square facing the St. Louis Cathedral. I realize this is a controversial subject. I realize a government official may not want to be involved in such an event. However, it is so possible to either dress in costume or by an anonymous mask from any party city, If you wanted to attend, you would not be saying that you agree with our message. Your attendance would strictly be for a learning experience, if nothing less. I guarantee you would come away more aware than you are now. We have a knowledgeable bunch of people who like to have fun and just spread the word what's really going on with our food. We simply want GMO labeling, At the least. Another idea would be for you to send someone that you can trust to attend for you perhaps with a go Pro camera or something like that maybe with a mask, and report back to you with the video footage showing the different signs and the different speeches or what not. I would like to ask a small favor from you. No matter what your beliefs on the subject of Monsanto are, would it be possible for you to alert the local news stations and let them know that we will be at Duncan Plaza Saturday, May 23 at 11 AM for March against Monsanto 2015? we have been trying to get local coverage and it would be very wonderful to have that for this event.