by Ted Greiner, PhD – Independent Science News, 11 July 2016

educating-village-women-600x418
“Educating village women” Photo: Ted Greiner

What better way to discredit your critics than to rope in 107 naive Nobel Prize winners (all without relevant expertise) to criticize your opposition?

But such tactics are not new. Long ago, the GMO industry spent well over $50 million to promote “Golden Rice” as the solution to vitamin A deficiency in low income countries. They did so well before the technology was completely worked out, let alone tested. Let alone consumer acceptability tested. Let alone subjecting it to standard phase 2 and 3 trials to see if it could ever solve problems in the real world.

So why has this apparently straightforward scientific project not reached completion after so many decades?

Because the purpose of Golden Rice was never to solve vitamin A problems. It never could and never will. It’s purpose from the beginning was to be a tool for use in shaming GMO critics and now to convince Nobel Laureates to sign on to something they didn’t understand.

I worked with a conventional fortified rice technology (Ultra Rice) for years for the NGO PATH in several countries. It became clear to us that rice-consuming populations were extremely picky about their rice and unwilling to accept even the tiniest changes in its appearance, smell or taste.

They are now to be convinced to eat rice that’s bright yellow in color? That will never happen on any large scale. If it does, it will be because a huge investment was made to overcome consumer resistance. Money that COULD have been spent to convince people simply to eat the low-cost plant foods easily available in all countries that can prevent vitamin A deficiency.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MORE


Also Read:

campaigns womens day 280x140

Biodiversity Or Gmos: Will the Future of Nutrition be in Women’s Hands or Under Corporate Control?


Women and Biodiversity Feed the World, Not Corporations and GMOs

By Dr Vandana Shiva – Common Dreams, 20 May 2015


GoldenRice

The Golden Rice Hoax


All you need to know about the GM food controversy

By Vidya Venkat – The Hindu, 9 July

Golden Rice – Myth not Miracle

by Dr Vandana Shiva


Related Articles

GM(Woes) | Ghostbusters, GMOs, and the Feigned Expertise of Nobel Laureates

By Devon G. Peña, Ph.D. – Environmental and Food Justice, 2 July 2016

107 Nobel Laureate Attack on Greenpeace Traced Back to Biotech PR Operators

By Jonathan Latham, PhD — Independent Science News, 1 July 2016

Nobel laureates sign letter on Greenpeace ‘Golden’ rice position – statement

Greenpeace International, 30 June 2016

Pro-GMO campaign exploits Nobel laureates to attack Greenpeace and fool the people

GM Watch, 30 June 2016

Pro-GMO Spin Masquerading as Science Courtesy of “Shameful White Men of Privilege”

By Colin Todhunter – RINF, 30 June 2016

Greenpeace to Nobel Laureates: It’s Not Our Fault Golden Rice Has ‘Failed as a Solution’

By Lorraine Chow – EcoWatch, 30 June 2016

Nobel laureates to Greenpeace: ‘Abandon your campaign against GMOs’

RT.com, 30 June 2016