Columnist Jon Entine responds to the Organic Consumers Association-linked campaign against Starbucks and milk in Canada: “While consumers might believe milk is good for you, organic activists allege 90% of North America’s milk is ‘contaminated’… This issue, to be clear, is not about milk or Starbucks. The histrionics are directed at genetically modified organisms (GMOs)… Anti-GMO activists attach the label ‘Frankenfoods,’ which serves the purpose of demonizing bio-engineering.
“Despite the controversy, farmers have seen increases in yields of corn, soybeans and cotton… There is no evidence that GMOs pose any more risks than traditional crossbreeding and gene-splicing… Undercut by research findings, anti-GMO forces invoke the lowest common denominator in scientific disputes…
“‘Better safe than sorry’ has nice a ring of moderation, but it’s deceptive. If consumers apply the principle to alternative foods, organics would be pulled from the shelves overnight. Numerous investigations, including a series in The New York Times… documented that ‘natural’ and organic foods are plagued by quality control concerns. Sadly, if bio-engineered crops and supplements are shelved, the biggest losers would be consumers and farmers, particularly those in the poorest countries, and the environment.”
