This week, the Wall Street Journal carried a sophisticated opinion piece by Oklahoma State professor Jayson Lusk, who raises basic questions about the poll results widely cited to support the view that consumers oppose GMOs. The pollsters didn’t dig deeply enough, he says.
The poll results are deeply dubious, he says, since most consumers know so little about the issue. He cites his own survey results of large groups who supported what Lusk calls, “an absurd hypothetical policy mandating labels for foods containing DNA” —which was approved by some 80% of respondents. A follow-up survey asked about whether the statement “all vegetables contain DNA” was true or false. More than half, 52%, said “false.” The correct answer, of course, is “true.”
He goes further and reports that when consumers are questioned on how they want the issue of GMO labeling to be decided, they do not turn to politicians or their fellow citizens, but “a strong 61% majority preferred to put the matter to experts at the Food and Drug Administration.” He thinks this has been “borne out at the ballot box: To date, referendums on mandatory labeling have been held in five states, and none has passed,” Lusk says.
Even worse, Lusk says the debate overlooks “a deeper debate about the future of our food system” which really is heavily driven by “romantic traditionalism,” a desire for food that is purportedly more in line with nature. So, he points out how different today’s food is from that eaten even a few hundred years ago. At that time, carrots were purple before random mutations and selective breeding led to their signature color during the 16th century in the Netherlands which later claimed the new varieties were to honor King William of Orange.
Broccoli, kale, cauliflower and brussel sprouts all emerged from the same wild plant. Potatoes and tomatoes originated in the Americas and were never eaten in Europe and Asia until after the New World was discovered. Today we eat more and better than ever, precisely because we did not accept only what nature provided, in spite of what the foodies often claim.
Biotechnology has the potential for similar improvements, but only if we are willing to embrace them and not let critics block new innovations, Lusk argues. He points to golden rice, which is genetically engineered to provide vitamin A to malnourished children.
Lusk thinks that there are impressive examples of biotech progress that can be appreciated already. “If you’ve eaten cheese lately or taken insulin, thank a scientist. Cheese-making requires rennet, an enzyme that was once extracted from calf intestines but is now made by genetically modified bacteria or yeast. Insulin used to be drawn from cow pancreases but is now made in a lab by GMO microorganisms. Crops that resist insects and tolerate herbicides have created real benefits for farmers, which are passed along to consumers via lower prices, he says.
And, he argues that the “next generation of innovation” is just around the corner: apples that will not brown, potatoes that produce fewer carcinogens when fried, staple crops in the developing world fortified with micronutrients, field crops in the Midwest that require less nitrogen fertilizer. He concludes that “one day soon, when the fad against GMOs fades, retailers might be clamoring to add the tag: 'proudly produced with genetic engineering.'”
It is interesting to hear from a technology supporter willing to confront deeply ingrained public opinion. However, no matter how convinced he is that voters won’t support labels that discriminate against GMOs because they haven’t on some occasions in the past seems to be rapidly approaching a crucial test this summer – and the wind seems to be blowing in the foodies’ direction at the moment.
Whether the politicians in the Senate can see their way clear to prevent confusing rules that work against powerful food technologies remains to be seen, but it seems increasingly likely that the labeling issue will provide a serious test of the US commitment to the science necessary to provide abundant and affordable food for the growing global population. It is a fight that producers should watch closely as it proceeds, Washington Insider believes.