Until Californians go to the ballot box on Nov. 6, rhetoric from both supporters and opponents of the state’s Proposition 37 will only continue to intensify. Both viewpoints, however, share some common ground on at least one important point: The best way to persuade members of the voting public is by framing the debate based on what consumers want the most—is it an issue of price, of information, of safety, or of some other characteristic that consumers may weigh when making a purchase?
Perhaps another way to approach the GMO debate would be to step out of our own shoes for a moment and consider the viewpoints of some of the crops that we depend upon and enjoy.
No, seriously.
Very often, biotechnology firms attempt to market GMO products with claims that they offer some benefit to the consumer and grower, e.g., higher nutrient density, higher yields, pest resistance. In other cases, however, something as vital as a crop’s continued survival may depend on transgenesis.
View the original article here: The case of the GMO papaya
