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Join geneticist Kevin Folta and GLP contributor Cameron English on episode 204 of Science Facts and Fallacies as they break down these latest news stories:
Vandana Shiva is a long-time proponent of unscientific nonsense when it comes to crop biotechnology and vaccines. She played a key role in convincing Sri Lanka to ban synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, sparking food shortages and riots around the country last year. Despite her shameful track record, Shiva continues to receive invitations (and hefty honorariums) to speak at American universities. The science community has voiced its opposition to this state of affairs, but to no avail. Why are institutions of higher learning promoting Shiva’s messaging, especially while they complain about other types of “misinformation” in the public square?
Driven by concerns about corporate control of food, opposition to crop biotechnology is a characteristically progressive cause. But one scientist from Latin America says this anti-capitalist pose need not push the left to oppose genetic engineering. Cuba, he notes, is one of the few remaining communist countries in the world, as well as something of a leader in agricultural and biomedical research. Can Cuba’s success with biotechnology shift the public discourse around GMOs?
Many products in US grocery stores have carried USDA ‘bioengineered’ labels to denote that they contain (or are derived from) genetically modified ingredients. Have these labels benefited consumers in any way, and how much does it cost us to label our food?
Listen to the podcast here: https://tinyurl.com/33kj5wvh
Kevin M. Folta is a professor, keynote speaker and podcast host. Follow Professor Folta on Twitter @kevinfolta
Cameron J. English is the director of bio-sciences at the American Council on Science and Health. Visit his website and follow ACSH on Twitter @ACSHorg
