An Industry on the Brink: Consumers Need to Wake Up and Smell the Gene

An Industry on the Brink Consumers Need to Wake Up and Smell the Genetically Modified CoffeeA recent sight of opposition to the production of genetically circumscribed crops has farmers all over the States asking themselves one question To convert or not to modify? Genetically modified (GM) crops allow farmers to use fewer pesticides while tranquillize achieving the same yields. American farmers incur planted GM crops since 1995 and, at least for the first few years, had no problems selling these products to the public. Recently, however, there has been a try by several activist groups, some of which have the support of true scientists, to make a distinction on grocery store shelves among GM foods and those that were promoted normally. This process, called labeling, strikes fear in the hearts of most farmers who argon triskaidekaphobic that an uninformed American public exit steer clear of the GM crops just to be on the safe side. The fact of the matter is that Amer icans have been eating these altered crops since 1995 and no one has been harmed. This simple albeit somehow questionable fact did not stop one interest group from fetching out several full-page ads in the New York Times prototype of the dangers of these newfangled foods (Isserman, 2001). This, like many technological advances has met much resistance, but it will ultimately be accepted and change the face of agriculture. The decision of whether to produce GM crops is based more on politics than on practice. Farmers are not interested in deciding which type of crop is wear out for consumers, better for the environment, or better for the world, but instead are plainly concerned with which type of crop consumers are willing to buy. Farmers were once face with th... ... Promoting GM. 13 Nov. 2002. Institute of Science and Society. 13 Dec. 2002. Kwon, Y.W. and Kim, D. (2000). Herbicide-resistant genetically-modified crop its risks with an emphasis on gene flow. We ed Biology and Management 1, 42-52.Watkinson, A.R. et al. (2000). Predictions of biodiversity response to genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops. Science 289, 1554-1557.Isserman, A.M. et al. (2001). Genetically modified food. American Behavioral Scientist 44, 8.Sheehy, H. et al. (1998). Consumer and biotechnology A synopsis of survey and focus group research. Journal of Consumer Policy 21, 359-386.Verfaillie, Hendrick. Our Commitments - environmental & Social Responsibility Monsanto Pledge. 10 Dec. 2002. Monsanto.