b'While concern about GMOs is fading, Schwarcz says the biggest threat to new innovations in agriculture is science illiteracyand it spans to other new technologies being developed, like vaccines, as well. In some cases, the answer can be decided yes, like Goldenthat organic is non-GMO and more, because consumers were Rice for example, Schwarcz says. There are about a millionconflating those two things. children every year who go blind or experience severe difficultiesBut, in the end, Lusk thinks that companies can use this man-because of a lack of vitamin A in their diet and beta carotene is indatory GE labeling to their advantage. short supply in most of the foods they eat. An argument an advocate for labels would make is it While there were problems with the Golden Rice at first, todayempowers consumers to make choices and expands the oppor-theres enough beta carotene in Golden Rice to make a difference.tunity set for consumers, he says. That has some value. As an Much of the concern comes from the anti-GMOs who suggesteducator, we want to make sure we do the best we can and let that GMOs poison the public, Schwarcz says. What its reallypeople make choices with the best available information.going to do is reduce deaths and reduce blindness. His suggestion? With QR codes, which can be used to dis-In the future, Schwarcz believes that GMOs could even be usedclose GE ingredients, theres opportunity to provide additional to re-engineer different consumer favorite foods, like combininginformation. the health benefits of broccoli with potatoes.Looking back in the past, there havent been food manufac-The safety of a substance has nothing to do with its ancestryturers that were willing to come out and say we use GE ingredi-or the way it was manufactured, he says. What it has to do withents, and were proud of it, Lusk says. There are a lot of really is what we know about it.good, positive messages that can be made using the label as a promotional device.Consumer Trust and LabelsSchwarcz agreeshalf the battle with GMOs that has When it comes to labeling and the consumer, Lusk says labelsplagued the industry is because consumers dont see the benefit.like the Non-GMO Project have significant impact on the con- Obviously, a farmer will see the benefit growing GE canola if sumer choice.they get a 10% better yield, he says. But, if you stop someone Based on the consumer research weve done, people likeon the street corner and ask them what canola is, they might not the butterfly non-GMO label, Lusk says. Its impactful. In fact,know if you hunt it, fish it or grow it.it often has as big an impact as an organic label, to the pointOnce consumers start seeing the benefits to GE ingredients, where organic organizations are coming out with argumentsthen Schwarcz believes well get over the hump of resistance.SW108/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021'