GMO Answers

GMO Answers

Owner	Council for Biotechnology Information
Slogan(s)	"We answer your questions about GMOs."
Website	gmoanswers.com
Launched	July 2013
Current status	Online

GMO Answers launched by the agricultural biotechnology industry in July 2013 to answer consumers’ questions about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops in the U.S. food supply.^[1] GMO Answers was created in part to respond to public concern about the safety of GMOs.^[1] GMO Answers “expert resources” include conventional and organic farmers, agribusiness experts, scientists, academics, medical doctors and nutritionists, and “company experts” from founding members of the Council for Biotechnology Information, which funds the initiative.^[2] Founding members include BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Company and Syngenta.^[3]

Cathleen Enright, executive director of Council for Biotechnology Information, said GMO Answers was not specifically created to advocate against GMO labeling, but rather to provide accurate information about GMOs to consumers: “We have been accused of purposely hiding information. We haven’t done that but now we will open the doors and provide information.”^[1]

Anti-GMO activists characterized GMO Answers as a public relations ploy by the seed biotech industry to influence an intensifying debate concerning the safety of GMOs and GMO labeling.^[1]

Background

The safety of GMOs has been described as the “most visible and contentious” public debate regarding food production technologies used in the U.S. food supply chain.^[4] In a January 2013 New York Times poll, 93 percent of respondents said that foods containing GMOs or genetically engineered ingredients should be identified.^[5]

GMO labeling legislation

Growing consumer interest in transparency regarding food production has given rise to GMO labeling initiatives across the U.S. in several states.^[6][7][8][9] In 2012 and 2013, GMO labeling ballot initiatives were defeated in California^[10] and Washington state.^[11] Also in December 2013, Connecticut became the first state in the U.S. to enact GMO labeling legislation,^[12] followed by Maine a month later.^[13] The Connecticut and Maine bills require that any combination of contiguous Northeast states totaling at least 20 million residents must adopt similar laws in order for the regulations to take effect.^[13]

In August 2013, a Scientific American editorial called mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods a “bad idea”:^[7]

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the World Health Organization and the exceptionally vigilant European Union agree that GMOs are just as safe as other foods…The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has tested all the GMOs on the market to determine whether they are toxic or allergenic. They are not.

GMO labeling initiatives by U.S. food producers

In 2013, several U.S. food producers announced plans to label or disclose the presence of GMOs in their products, including grocery retailer Whole Foods Market,^[14] restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.,^[15] and ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s.^[16][17] In January 2014, General Mills, Inc. announced that it began manufacturing GMO-free original Cheerios in late 2013.^[18]

GMOAnswers.com

In July 2013, the seed biotech industry and its partners in farming and agriculture launched the GMOAnswers.com website “to combat mounting opposition to genetically modified foods among consumer groups and activists.”^[1][19] GMO Answers’ stated goal is to “make information about GMOs in food and agriculture easier to access and understand.”^[20] Cathleen Enright, executive director of Council for Biotechnology Information, said, “Clearly we’ve not been in the conversation. With the elevation of the GMO conversation nationally, we identified the need last year to get into the game.”^[21]

Also in July 2013, Paul Schickler, president of DuPont Pioneer, the agricultural unit of DuPont, said anti-GMO interests had used the Internet effectively to disseminate their message, and that the seed biotech industry sought to employ the Internet and social media channels to similar effect: "[GMOAnswers.com] is an effort to increase the dialogue…Over time I think we'll come to a common understanding."^[19]

Robert Fraley, executive vice president and chief technology officer for Monsanto, said the company has been “focused on giving technology and tools to farmers to improve their productivity and yield and we haven’t spent nearly the time we have needed to on talking to consumers and talking to social media.”^[22]

The GMOAnswers.com website, which invites visitors to submit questions about GMOs, includes browsable questions and answers; an “Explore the Basics” section; studies and articles by biotechnology experts; and data about countries that certify genetically-modified products.

According to GMO Answers, “more than 100 experts have contributed to this site including conventional and organic farmers, agribusiness experts, scientists, academics, medical doctors and nutritionists,” as well as “company experts” from the founding members of the Council for Biotechnology Information, which funds GMO Answers.^[2]

The following sampling of questions have been posted and answered on GMOAnswers.com:^[23]

• Do GMOs cause cancer?
• How many people have died over GMOs?
• Have GMO seeds, unknowingly, cross-contaminated with non-GMO crops?
• Why are genetically modified crops increasing the use of herbicides and pesticides? I thought the claim was that they would decrease use?
• If GMOs are the answer to the food shortages why do food prices keep going up?
• How is biodiversity impacted by the introduction of GM crops? Is the current set of crops being replaced with a smaller, less biologically diverse set of GM crops? If so, is there an increased risk of a much larger-scale impact from the adaptation of infectious diseases or pests? If there are increased risks, how are scientists, businesses, farmers and regulatory agencies managing this risk?

Core principles

GMO Answers cites five core principles to which members and partners of GMO Answers have committed:^[24]

• Respecting people around the world and their right to choose healthy food products that are best for themselves and their families;
• Welcoming and answering questions on all GMO topics;
• Making GMO information, research and data easy to access and evaluate and supporting safety testing of GM products; including allowing independent safety testing of our products through validated science-based methods;
• Supporting farmers as they work to grow crops using precious resources more efficiently, with less impact on the environment and producing safe, nutritious food and feed products;
• Respecting farmers’ rights to choose the seeds that are best for their farms, businesses and communities and providing seed choices that include non-GM seeds based on market demands.

Founding members

GMO Answers is funded by the Council for Biotechnology Information, which includes BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Company, and Syngenta.^[3][25]

Supporting partners

Supporting partners of GMO Answers include the American Council on Science and Health, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Seed Trade Association, American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, Ohio AgriBusiness Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, South Dakota Agri-Business Association, and the U.S. Beet Sugar Association.^[3]

Controversy

In July 2013, Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, released a statement regarding GMO Answers that read, in part:^[26]

More claims from the biotech industry about the safety of genetic engineering are not a replacement for the clear labeling that consumers are demanding.

In August 2013, Andrew Kimbrell, executive director at the Center for Food Safety, issued a statement regarding GMO Answers. It read, in part:^[27]

Instead of responding to legitimate consumer concerns about the safety of these products, the industry has created a charade of transparency on their new website, innocuously named ‘GMO Answers’…Whenever their products are scrutinized and called into question, the agrichemical industry consistently turns to bigger and better PR rather than addressing the real issues at hand.

External links

• Official Website

References

1. Pollack, Andrew. "Seeking Support, Biotech Food Companies Pledge Transparency". New York Times. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
2. "Experts". GMO Answers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
3. "Founding Members". GMO Answers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
4. Haspel, Tamar. "GMO labeling: Is the fight worth it?". Retrieved 19 June 2014.
5. Kopicki, Allison. "Strong Support for Labeling Modified Foods". New York Times. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
6. Parker, Laura. "The GMO Labeling Battle Is Heating Up—Here's Why". National Geographic. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
7. The Editors. "Labels for GMO Foods Are a Bad Idea". Scientific American. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
8. Bauers, Sandy. "GreenSpace: Pa., N.J. new fronts in food-label fight". Philly.com. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
9. Hopkinson, Jenny. "The battle lines on food labeling". POLITICO. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
10. Sifferlin, Alexandra. "California Fails to Pass GM Foods Labeling Initiative". Time. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
11. Weise, Elizabeth. "Washington state voters reject labeling of GMO foods". USA Today. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
12. Reilly, Genevieve. "Malloy signs state GMO labeling law in Fairfield". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
13. Wilson, Reid. "Maine becomes second state to require GMO labels". Washington Post. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
14. Robb, Walter. "Whole Foods Market commits to full GMO transparency". Whole Foods Market. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
15. Knowles, David. "Chipotle becomes first U.S. restaurant chain to try and rid menu of GMO foods". New York Daily News. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
16. Velasco, Schuyler. "Ben & Jerry's ingredients won't include GMOs, company says". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
17. "Our Position on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)". Ben & Jerry’s. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
18. Gasparro, Annie. "General Mills Starts Making Some Cheerios Without GMOs". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
19. Gillam, Carey. "'GMO Answers' Website Launched By Monsanto, DuPont, More". Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
20. "An Acknowledgement for Change: What is GMO Answers?". GMO Answers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
21. Gustin, Georgina. "Monsanto, other biotech companies, launch website to answer GMO-related questions". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
22. Hopkinson, Jenny. "Monsanto confronts devilish public image problem". POLITICO. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
23. "Ask Us Anything About GMOs!". GMO Answers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
24. "What is GMO Answers?". GMO Answers. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
25. "Council for Biotechnology Information". Council for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
26. Hauter, Wenonah. "Biotech Industry's Latest PR Blitz Won't Stop GMO Labeling Momentum". Food & Water Watch. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
27. Kimbrell, Andrew. "CFS Statement on New Biotech Industry Website "GMO Answers"". Center for Food Safety. Retrieved 19 June 2014.