He used to be big on Yogic flying and Transcendental Meditation, and was a candidate for the Natural Law Party in Iowa.[2] Nowadays he bills himself as a "leading consumer advocate"[3] and is rather secretive about his past. Notably, he does not appear to have any training in biology.[4] He runs a PR outlet called Institute for Responsible Technology. Its main activity is spreading contrived, unscientific FUD about genetically modified crops. The Institute is supported by donations from over a dozen organic food companies and is promoted by the alt-med woo site NaturalNews [5]. Smith sits on the board of John Fagan's Genetic ID company, and appears to have connections to the Maharishi cult (which Fagan is also a member of).[6]