It is dangerous to scream fire in a crowded theater, when no fire is present. So why would the Naples Daily News possibly print an inflammatory alarmist story on agricultural biotechnology (in the article referring to “GMOs”) that presented patently false information and opinion, instead of sound science?
The words of Kelly Farrell are a veiled advertisement for Jeffrey Smith, a non-scientist that runs a business manufacturing fear around the world’s safest and most highly-regulated food products. To a public scientist like me, it was a profound disappointment to see such nonsense in a health-associated story. The information presented is not from journals-it is from websites. There is no inquiry with leading scientists- just opinions from documentarians and others that clearly do not understand science. The one journal citation presented is based on an opinion article in a low-end journal that espouses an opinion counter to the scientific evidence, the vast scientific consensus and our leading scientific organizations.
Our food supply has never been safer, more abundant, or diverse. Agricultural biotechnology has been a boon to the 300,000 farmers that elect to use it. The technology has safely decreased insecticide use, limited tilling, and allowed a switch to low-toxicity herbicides with limited environmental impact. The technology saved the Hawaiian papaya industry, and stands to rescue millions from malnutrition.
… how does politically-motivated opinion posing as news affect farmers in our state? Not far from Naples, orange trees are dying from a disease that recombinant DNA technology may safely fix. Trials are underway now. Why would we want to limit the farmer’s safe toolbox? This kind of false information is a pathetic excuse for journalism, and it has numerous harms that are easily seen.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: Opinion As Fact: When Our Media Loses Its Filter
