e.33: Nathanael Johnson on the GMO Debate
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Lovers · Jordan Marr
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Show Notes
In mid- to late-2014, journalist Nathanael Johnson wrote a series of blog posts at grist.org entitled Panic-Free GMOs. This was no minor foray into modern ag's most divisive topic. Nathanael's research was extensive, and the series topped thirty posts.
Here are some of Nathanael's conclusions, which we discuss in our conversation:
- GMOs are relatively well-regulated
- The effects of GMOs on the environment have been a mixed bag of benefits and losses
- There is a strong scientific consensus that GMO varieties of plants that have been approved for commercial use are safe to eat
- We should probably label GMO foods in the marketplace
- None of it really matters anyway
This is a long episode. I recommend you listen to the fifteen minute segment about Nate's approach to research and writing these articles, but if you prefer to skip ahead to our discussions of his conclusions, tune in at the 21 minute mark.