The good news resides, for a change, in California. The latest polls there show support for the insidious Proposition 37, which would mandate labels for many foods with genetically modified ingredients, is falling fast. Just 39.1 percent of likely voters support the measure, while 50.5 percent oppose the labeling requirements, the poll by the California Business Roundtable and the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy shows. As recently as six weeks ago, over 60 percent of likely voters supported the measure.
Last week one of the most prestigious scientific bodies in the world, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, joined a chorus of voices coming out against Prop. 37, saying genetically modified foods are no riskier than other foods and labeling would "mislead and falsely alarm consumers. Just about every newspaper in California has also editorialized against Prop 37, despite a well-organized campaign spreading superstition and baseless fear, led by the mega-business interests associated with the organic food industry.
ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava expresses delighted approval of the change: What a turn-around! If Californians indeed defeat Proposition 37 at the polls next week, it would be a much-needed victory for sound science.
In a similar vein, ACSH friend Dr. Henry Miller re-exposes the anti-GMO crusade of Greenpeace as also being anti-children in his blistering op-ed in yesterday s Wall Street Journal. As Dispatch reported not long ago, his topic is the scare tactics the "environmental" (actually anti-business, anti-technology) group used in China to keep life- and vision- saving "Golden Rice" away from malnourished children who need it most.