Last week, Oregon joined the ranks of states trying to pass GMO labeling laws, with the proponents of the bill arguing that consumers have a right to know what s in their food. However, according to Brandon T. Bisceglia in a superb article written on Science 2.0, that label won t tell you anything, except perhaps misleading and incorrect information.
Bisceglia uses the example of an Arnold brand 100% Whole Wheat Bread to make his case. When considering which of the ingredients in the bread is the GMO, the answer is this: You can t tell ¦ One thing the labeling laws have in common is a provision that prevents the identification of GMO ingredients. Oregon's proposal, which was created by misguided right-to-know activists, spells it out clearly: This law shall not be construed to require either the listing or identification of any ingredient or ingredients that were genetically engineered.
Bisceglia goes on to highlight the fact that the label will not tell a consumer what was done to the food, what was introduced into the organism or what changes result from genetically engineering a food. Furthermore, the label will not tell you where the ingredients were sourced from.
There goes the right to know argument. His conclusion? In reality, the establishment of your right to know hasn't given you any useful knowledge. So go ahead and buy the bread already.
ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom says, This piece is a must read, especially if you are not up to speed on the GMO controversy. Bisceglia explains what is really important that the only difference in GM foods and other hybrids created by older methods it newer technology not the healthiness of any food or ingredient derived from this technology.
Read his full piece here.
And while you re at it, consider these points made by Jack Fisher, executive vice president of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in a column appearing on Cleveland.com. Experts, including those at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency, have confirmed that GMOs are safe. GM crops allow us to produce more food, thereby making food cost less. And the technology is environmentally friendly, resulting in the reduced pesticide use because many GM crops are insect resistant and allow farmers to control weeds more easily. Read his full take on the GM debate here.