Labeling GMOs in food
Comment
Learn about: Labeling GMOs in food from Gary Hirshberg,...
98
Transcription:
A lot of people ask what is genetic engineering? And haven't we been playing with genes forever and ever?
You can go right to the Monsanto website. There's no debate about what genetic engineering is. It's very strictly defined as introducing genes into a species in a way that could never happen in nature.
So if you take an insecticide or a bacterial protein or a gene from a pig and put it into a salmon that's something we could all agree that would not happen in nature. The problem is nowadays we can do it, but we don't know what the consequences are. We don't do long-term safety testing. The only testing that the government requires is by the patent holders themselves. So you've really got the foxes guarding the henhouse.
This is why we as citizens need labeling. We need the right to know. We need to know that it's there. Because frankly, otherwise we don't even have a vote in the process. Unless we can vote at the supermarket or vote at the cash register or vote at the farmer's market, we're just not even part of the discussion.
Learn about: Labeling GMOs in food from Gary Hirshberg,...
Related Videos
Transcript
Expert Bio
More from Expert
Gary Hirshberg
Gary Hirshberg is Chairman of Stonyfield Farm, the world’s leading organic yogurt producer, and Managing Director of Stonyfield Europe. He is also the Chairman and Founding Partner of “Just Label It, We Have the Right to Know,” the national campaign to label GE foods. Gary has received twelve honorary doctorates and numerous awards for corporate and environmental leadership including a 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award by the US EPA.
Login or Register to view and post comments