The Citrus Research and Development Foundation has started to respond to concerns that its favoritism toward Monsanto-Bayer has come at the expense of smaller enterprises with possible solutions to HLB.
CRDF finally let representatives of three innovative companies speak at one of its meetings.
Dantzler seemed ‘nervous’ after denying ‘back-room deals’
But COO Rick Dantzler seemed “nervous” at the livestreamed May 14 event, going into a monologue about how he and CRDF have not been playing favorites with Bayer and have actually been in contact with other innovators for years. Then he admitted that he had never invited some to address a CRDF meeting.
This followed our report from CRDF’s April 28 meeting when Dantzler insisted he wasn’t making “back-room deals” with Monsanto-Bayer.
Dantzler said on May 14 that there’s a “misunderstanding” out there about his Bayer project, which he described as “kryptonite against HLB.”
‘Firing on all four cylinders’
He said that CRDF is “firing on all four cylinders,” which we take as an admission that Dantzler is not driving a V-8.
After describing how he’s raising money from private businesses and taxpayers to fund Bayer to continue the “kryptonite” project because it’s too unprofitable for Bayer to fund itself, Dantzler introduced speakers from three small companies to present their own scientific data.
Admits he didn’t invite smaller companies to speak once in three years
“We are trying to help out where we can,” Dantzler said,” admitting that he had not invited any of them to participate in the three years that he’s been running CRDF.
He seemed fixated on stressing the point that he’s trying to “help” small innovative companies get exposure in the fight against HLB.
Industry professionals who have known Dantzler for a long time and were on the call tell SaveCitrus.com: “He was so nervous. You could tell by his body language.”
Dantzler invited Brian Thompson of Elemental Enzymes to give a presentation, extending him him the courtesy to go beyond his allotted 20 minutes.
Seemed uptight about CitruSaver
The CRDF leader showed a peculiar antipathy toward the next speaker, Fredo Arias-King of CitruSaver. Earlier, Dantzler appeared to refer to CitruSaver without mentioning the company by name.
“Without going through all the contacts we’ve had with this company,” Dantzler said, indicating that he was defensively prepared to document years’ worth of email traffic between CRDF and the organic fertilizer producer but decided not to.
Like Thompson, Arias-King went beyond his 20 minutes, but CRDF did not extend the same courtesy. Dantzler’s man muted Arias-King, saying, “Your time is up.” He let Arias-King say something in conclusion, then muted him again.
