GM crops and foods: what do consumers want to know?
Agricultural biotechnology--GMOs--has a huge positive impact on farming and farmers but remains controversial among the skeptical public. Curious but anxious consumers, driven by scare stories and pseudo-science provided by anti-GMO activists, seek accurate and authoritative answers to their questions. Here, I address a sample of such queries directed to me from the public, including the ubiquitous "Is it safe?" and also discuss some of the shameful tactics used by anti-GM activists in the public debate to garner support at the cost of inciting unnecessary anxiety among the public.
University of California; Riverside, CA USA.
Alan
A
McHughen
D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001290:Attitude; D003256:Community Participation; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development; D004777:Environment; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified; D006801:Humans; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000254:growth & development*; D012108:Research Personnel
GMO; agricultural biotechnology; anti-GMO activists; consumers; genetic engineering; public debate; rDNA; regulations; safety