GMOs: An Update

"Few topics in science, health and food elicit more fear and misconceptions than the phrase GMO, and most of it is based on intentional disinformation." 

Click on the link below for a fresh look at perceptions that will not go away on this matter:

GMOs and genetic engineering are widely misunderstood

Update: GMOs

"April 19, 2023

"Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new “Feed Your Mind” educational materials to provide science-based information on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). “Feed Your Mind” is an education initiative launched in 2020 to help increase consumer understanding of GMOs and was developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."

Click on the link below for the details:

FDA Releases New "Feed Your Mind" Education Materials on GMOs for Consumers

The Latest On GMOs From The FDA

"August 4, 2022

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new “Feed Your Mind” educational materials to provide science-based information on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to consumers, health educators, dietitians, and other health care professionals. “Feed Your Mind” is an education initiative launched in 2020 to help increase consumer understanding of GMOs and was developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."

Click on the link below for the details:

FDA Releases New "Feed Your Mind" Educational Materials On GMOs

A Reminder: Your Brain Alone Is Not Reliable

Recently, I have received a great deal of push-back on my Facebook page regarding some topics, for example: chiropractic, acupuncture, corporal punishment, GMOs, and nuclear power. Frankly, their arguments are no different than the Intelligent Design folks. As I frequently say, tell me what other than the consensus of scientists actually working in the discipline under discussion will give you a better understanding of reality regarding such.

Regarding consumer products, including food from GMOs, unfortunately, there is a strong unsupported conspiracy theory that for-profit corporations cannot perform unbiased scientific studies. Should we ignore any research funded by companies or special interest groups? Certainly not. These groups provide invaluable funding for scientific research. Furthermore, science has many safeguards in place to catch instances of bias that affect research outcomes. Ultimately, misleading results will be corrected as science proceeds. (link)(link)

Science-Based Thinking: Changing Your Mind In Light Of Evidence

"But it wasn't brainwashing that made Bill Nye change his mind. As he explained in his 2015 book Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World, it was a healthy dose of evidence, coupled with an abrupt awakening to the unscientific nature of the anti-GMO movement."

Why Bill Nye Changed His Mind on GMOs

Anti-GMO And Cyberbullying

"That is the milieu in which we find the current GMO 'debate,' which in actuality has devolved into a vicious, relentless assault by organic food activists against the biotechnology community. It doesn't matter if you are a professor, industry scientist, journalist, or private citizen; if you support biotechnology, anti-GMO activists will harass you using their keyboards as weapons of mass defamation."

Cyberbullying: The Strategy to Destroy Scientists

This Is For Monsanto-Haters And GMOphobes

"While the threat of glyphosate-resistant weeds is a nuisance for farmers, it won't really scare anybody. So, in an effort to attack both Monsanto and GMO crops in general, anti-science food activists accused glyphosate of causing cancer. This is utter nonsense, but thankfully, regulators appear to be siding with the evidence."

Glyphosate: A Slow But Steady Vindication

Why The Huffington Post Should Never Be Read For Science Information

"One of the latest contributions from HuffBlow to the national dialogue comes courtesy of self-described teenage 'food safety activist' Rachel Parent, who skyrocketed to fame after giving an anti-GMO talk for Tedx and debating Kevin O'Leary. Her new article is titled "GMO Propaganda Has No Place In Your Child's Classroom." She then goes on to regurgitate her own propaganda."

Huffington Post Wants to 'Teach the Controversy' on GMOs

An Effect Of Anti-GMO

"Despite the common notion among Americans that Europe is a progressive, technologically advanced utopia, the reality is that the continent — when it comes to matters of science — is rather backward."

Europe Doesn’t Care if Poor Countries Have Food or Money

There Would Be No Need For A Compromise If All Were Science-Based Thinkers

"The proposed bill will (at least in its current version) give us two years to try to turn public opinion around. We may be seeing a softening of anti-GMO opinions, as the lies and distortions of the anti-GMO crowd are being systematically exposed."

Senate Passes GMO Labeling Compromise

GMO Salmon

"Along the Pacific Coast and around the nation, environmental groups have united with fishing barons to frustrate introduction of a new, genetically modified variety of salmon, called AquAdvantage.  Hysteria is their weapon, and hysteria is winning. It must be stopped."

GMO salmon needed to help feed the world

How To Starve Africa

"Today, the European Green Party, with the support of countless environmentalist NGOs, proposed an initiative in the European Parliament to make Africa wait for at least another generation to be able to lift itself out of poverty."

Why do environmentalists hate Africa?

Anti-Science From "Whine" Country

Another example of the effects of liberal anti-science.

What's Killing The Bees?

"This is not the time for simplistic ideology, which is what the organic movement is. Organic farming is based on the appeal to nature fallacy, not on science or reason. It is a wasteful luxury, primarily indulged in by privileged Westerners, that we cannot afford."

Complex and ambiguous situations, like the fate of our pollinators, become a convenient Rorschach test for ideology.

Why Many GMO Opponents Will Never Be Convinced Otherwise

- - - Finally, disgust and disgust sensitivity predict support for legal restrictions of GM above and beyond explicit risk-benefit assessments.

Another Compendium Of GMO Facts

Your one stop shop for GMO science facts

It Will Only Change The Mind Of Science-Based Thinkers

If you have been unexposed to the science on GMOs, or have been indoctrinated into anti-GMO thinking, this one's for you.

GMOs are safe - - - - PERIOD.

Trump Is Even Worse Than You Might Think

"Trump is an arrogant anti-intellectual. He clearly does not respect accuracy, due diligence, following a valid process, or even getting basic facts right. He does not appear to take the job of president seriously enough to brush up on the basics of policy."

None of the above should be new to anyone paying attention.  However, consider the following:

The Cost of Banning GMOs

"The authors of the current study demonstrate one key advantage of using GM traits – increased yield which results in lower land use for agriculture. They also point out that banning GMO will result in higher food prices, of $14-$24 billion per year in the US alone. Higher food prices disproportionately affect those with lower income.

"Those who oppose GMOs do not have a solid scientific argument to make. That are essentially ideologues. They are also attempting to “ban” GMOs through the backdoor, primarily through mandatory labeling."

Why belief without evidence is harmful, no matter the topic.

GMOs: The Science

When the subject of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) comes up, I can count on push-back from some (usually liberal activists) atheists and skeptics when I present the consensus of opinion from the experts working in the appropriate fields regarding GMOs.  It is a lesson on how ALL of us need to use the tools of skepticism on ALL our beliefs, as the easiest person to fool is ourselves.