Don’t Say No To GMOs [Opinion]

David Eddy

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Voters here in California will get the chance for the first time this coming fall to weigh in on the issue of whether foods containing genetically modified organisms should be specially labeled. Ordinarily, on the theory that the public can’t get too much information, I’d be all in favor of such a requirement. But in giving it careful consideration, I don’t think it’s such a good idea.

Those in favor say that such a requirement would be in the interest of public health. It seems strange then that in late June the American Medical Association’s Council on Science and Public Health noted that despite strong consumer interest in mandatory labeling of bioengineered foods, FDA’s science-based labeling policies do not support special labeling without evidence of material differences between bioengineered foods and their traditional counterparts. “The council supports this science-based approach, and believes that thorough pre-market safety assessment and FDA’s requirement that any material difference between bioengineered foods and their traditional counterparts be disclosed in labeling, are effective in ensuring the safety of bioengineered food,” read their official statement.
The council added that consumers wishing to choose foods without bioengineered ingredients may do so by purchasing those that are labeled “USDA Organic.”

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The AMA’s assertion that there would be no improvement in safety would be reason enough. The last thing we need is more legislation that doesn’t do anything substantive. But worse yet, such a move might actually harm society by taking a step backward, concludes a paper that just crossed my desk titled “The Logic and Consequences of Labeling GMOs.”

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The author, David Zilberman, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California-Berkeley, makes the surprising assertion that the main question is not whether consumers should have a choice regarding their own consumption of GMOs. Instead, he argues the issue is whether GM foods will be the norm and non-GM food labeled, or vice versa.

Zilberman notes that mainstream scientific research has not found GM foods riskier to public health or the environment. In fact, there is evidence that GM food improves human and environmental well-being. Labeling will have the consequence of making the technology less appealing, as occurred in Europe where a GM ban was instituted in 1999.

Right at a time when we are coming to grips with the issue of how to feed the 9 billion people expected to populate the earth in 2050, we’re going to stop technology in its tracks? Zilberman’s conclusion hits the nail squarely on the head: “Voters will have to ask whether the potential gain associated with labeling is worth the cost associated with technological stagnation and the resulting losses in economic and environmental welfare.” I don’t see much of a potential gain, anyway, so for this voter, the choice is easy. Say no to labeling; say yes to science.

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Avatar for Leon Leon says:

Yes say no to GMO. When you alter what the lord has created your bodies do not get the right a nutrient is why everyone is getting sick. God created everything perfect. We are creating a pre paid debit card program here in Canada and will spread to the USA and other countries. We are also going to import food from Mexico if we cannot find real organic in the USA or Canada and our members will only buy from us. We will set up the farmers an account and will import their produce here and with every transactions Cha Ch’ing; the farmer will make more money for their produce as we will cut out the middle man. Buy direct from us you buy direct from the farmers. Any farmers who will use DuPont’s product to control weeds will also not be accepted. To many water melons are grown without seeds. Mexico when you go to a resort that has real water melons with seeds taste a lot better than the ones we get here from the grocery store. We are going to change the industry one city at a time. Members will also get paid up to $6 cash back for every dollar they spend on the debit card. A company called Lyoness Canada & USA on YouTube has stolen pieces of our intellectual property which is good as they did the market research for us. Once we launch our program they are going to die quickly as we expand city to city. We are doing this as our children have no future. There are a lot of high power people like Court Judges and some politicians and some main banking consultants in our program. All merchants who list and do business with us will also profit share in all debit card transactions every second of the day even if not one of our members ever bought a water melon from this registered and listed farmer. We are going to help keep him in a profit zone every second of the day someone out there is swiping their card. We are talking full control of the economy is coming and we all will be trained and will say no to chemicals and to growth hormones and GMO products. We are planning to get farmers in the future to have green houses on their land fully temp controlled with rain water collected especially in a electrical storm so that the water will have natural Hydrogen Peroxide in the water to give the plants the immune system fighters we need to keep us from getting sick. We are going to also endorse places like the tree of Life rejuvenation Center. They grow real organic non GMO and none chemical grow fruits and vegetables to get rid of Diabetes in just 30 days and other illnesses. We will get our members paid to go there to eat well for 30 days to cure what the bad foods have done in their lives. Those people will also not eat any more GMO foods once they are cured. Anyone interested to join the team will generate an income up to $80,000 a month above what they would earn selling their product to a PRIVATE membership program. Once we launch Bye Bye Lyoness Canada & USA You all can email me at lrockets at shaw dot ca

Avatar for Rachel Rachel says:

At the very least items containing GMO products should be labeled. Allow the consumers to decide whether they want to eat them or not. There is no valid reason NOT to have GMO labeling.

Avatar for Sal Sal says:

Hey David I just got done reading your article  on Don't say no to GMO's and I was wondering if you are ingesting to much aspartame. People are not as Ignorant as you might think. With all the evidence out there of the harmful effects of GMO, killing off the bees, organ failure in test animals, infertility issues with 2nd and 3rd generation test animals ect. These people should not try and play God. Just google GMO and you can read countless articles about how safe they really are.     His reply "Thanks for the feedback, Sal. I respectfully disagree, as you might expect. But I am a big believer in free speech. If you'd like to post your comment so others can read it,

Avatar for Sal Sal says:

Also here is a great article for people to witness the disturbing affects of GMO's http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html 


Avatar for David Eddy David Eddy says:

For the record – and to keep the discussion going – the researcher cited by Sal has just recently found himself having to defend his research from critics: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/20/us-eu-gmo-safety-idUSBRE88J0WG20120920

Avatar for Sal Sal says:

That's sad you would name a propagandist news outlet like that to try and discredit research that has been proven. That's why the dinosaur media is dying. Try telling the truth and watch your ratings go up.

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