The Kingston Public Library and edible South Shore Magazine
present South Shore Locavores
GMOs? OMG!
May 16, 2013

 

Resources in the Old Colony Library Network

Genetic Engineering by Noah Berlatsky, 2013.

Genetic engineering: manipulating the mechanisms of life by Russ Hodge, 2009.

Pandora’s Picnic Basket: the potential and hazards of genetically modified foods by Alan McHughen, 2000.

Genetic roulette: the gamble of our lives. A film by Jeffrey M. Smith, Institute for Responsible Technology, 2012.

Genetic roulette: the documented health risks of genetically- engineered foods by Jeffrey M. Smith, 2007

Food Beware: the French organic revolution. A film by Jean-Paul Jaud, 2009.

 

Websites

www.responsibletechnology.org  The Institute for Responsible Technology.                                   

www.geneticliteracyproject.org  Global perspective on GM crops and agriculture.

www.who.int/foodsafety/biotech/en  World Health Organization information.

www.fooddialogues.com   The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.

marighttoknow.com/home  Massachusetts Right To Know GMOs. Lots of resources.

earthopensource.org  not-for-profit global food system organization

nongmoshoppingguide.com  The Non-GMO Project (more than just the shopping guide)                 

 

In The News: articles, pamphlets, apps, online videos, and other resources

“GM Crops: Promise and Reality. Nature:  International Weekly Journal of Science May 2, 2013. Series of articles and commentaries addressing the GM controversy.  www.nature.com/news/specials/gmcrops/index.html#editorial

 “Modifying the endless debate over genetically modified crops.” Walsh, Bryan.  Time Magazine Online, May 14, 2013. science.time.com/2013/05/14/modifying-the-endless-genetically-modified-crop- debate/

 “Don’t be afraid of genetic modification.” Anthes, Emily. New York Times Sunday  Review, May 9, 2013.  www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/opinion/sunday/dont-be-afraid-of-genetic-modification.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 “The Operator: is the most trusted doctor in America doing more harm than good? Specter, Michael.           
The New Yorker, February 4, 2013.    www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/02/04/130204fa_fact_specter

Dr. Oz profile includes his thoughts on GMO foods, and a critique of the film and book Genetic Roulette  Harvest of Fear: A Nova/Frontline special report. April 2001.  www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/  PBS documentary presents both sides of the debate, exploring risks and benefits of the new  technology.

“GMO Myths and Truths: an evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically-modified crops.” Antoniou, Michael; Claire Robinson; John Fagan, 2012. This is a 123 page pdf document.

“Top Five Myths of Genetically Modified Seeds, Busted.” Charles, Dan. NPR.org/the Salt [blog], October 18, 2012

”What You Need to Know About Genetically-Engineered Food.” Jaffe, Gregg. The Atlantic, February 7, 2013.

Non-GMO shopping guide  PDF of a 2011 brochure produced by the Institute for Responsible Technology and The Non-GMO Project.  Also available as an iPhone app.

New App Lets You Boycott Koch Brother, Monsanto, and More by Scanning Your Shopping Cart. O’Connor, Claire. Forbes, May 14, 2013. Article about Buycott, an app that lets you check your purchases against various boycott lists.

Monsanto “Do Not Buy” list  This is one of many different versions of this list, which variously claim that the listed companies are owned by Monsanto or use ingredients grown from Monsanto’s genetically modified seed in their products. The authority is not clear (who created it, when, and what did the original author claim about the listed companies).  What is clear is that Monsanto does not actually own all of the companies on the list.

The “Do Not Buy” list seems to have mutated over time, as we have encountered it with different headings in different places. We cannot find an original source for the list. Snopes.com, an online site that evaluates urban myths and other online claims, rates the list as False, but does not give much helpful information.  Note from the Kingston Public Library:  We would suggest that you use this list only with the awareness that there is no clear authority for it.

See below for another compilation of companies that oppose labeling foods containing GMOs, using information from the California Secretary of State,  and giving the name of the person who compiled it.

Companies that Contributed to Efforts to Defeat California Proposition 37 (GMO Labeling )  Source: California Secretary of State’s Office.  Companies that opposed California Proposition 37 (GMO labeling) and made contributions of $5000 or more to defeat the proposition in 2012.

List of Companies that Oppose GMO Labeling  Using the Cal-access information above, Stephanie Ladwig-Cooper compiled her own list and added websites for many of the companies, as well as other information,at this site: http://www.scribd.com/doc/113747190/Companies-Oppose-GMO-Food-Labeling and here: http://companiesopposegmofoodlabeling.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html Ladwig-Cooper lists many of the brands owned by the companies that made contributions in opposition to Proposition 37.