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Organic BS
Townhall.com ^ | May 11, 2022 | John Stossel

Posted on 05/11/2022 3:35:38 AM PDT by Kaslin

Activists have convinced Americans that "organic" food is better -- healthier, better-tasting, life-extending.

As a result, poor parents feel guilty if they can't afford to pay $7 for organic eggs.

This misinformation is spread by people like Alexis Baden-Mayer, political director of the Organic Consumers Association. She says organic food is clearly better: "The nutrition is a huge difference."

But it isn't. Studies find little difference.

If you still want to pay more for what's called "organic," that's your right. But what's outrageous is that this group of scientifically illiterate people convinced the government to force all of us to pay more.

Congress has ruled that GMOs (genetically modified food) must be labeled. Busybodies from both parties supported the idea.

Politicians like Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said, "It doesn't cost any more. This idea that ... this ... will raise food prices is ridiculous."

It's McGovern who is ridiculous. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the GMO labelling will cost from $598 million to $3.5 billion.

"But the public wants GMOs labeled," say advocates. "Surveys show that."

Of course they do.

Ask people if DNA in food should be labelled, and most say yes. Yet DNA is in everything.

Polling is a stupid way to make policy.

The idea of modifying a plant's DNA may sound creepy, but people have cross-bred plants and animals for years.

"The corn we have today, there's nothing natural about that," I say to Baden-Mayer in my new video. "What native people ate, we'd find inedible."

Baden-Mayer laughs at that.

"You're saying indigenous corn is somehow inferior because you've seen it dried and it has tiny little kernels?" she asks.

"Yes," I reply. I've tried to eat it.

"That's another myth of the industry," she responds. "People like you believe that."

I sure do. I also believe it's good that genetic modification lets us alter nature more precisely, gene by gene. That's better and safer than the more haphazard crossbreeding that's been done for years.

This new precision lets scientists make plants that save lives.

In poor parts of the world, half a million people per year go blind due to lack of vitamin A in their diets. Many die.

Scientists have created a new genetically modified rice that contains vitamin A. This "golden rice" could save those people.

"I've heard of golden rice," sneers Baden-Mayer. "That was a project that all of the chemical companies invested in."

I sneer right back.

"Golden rice hasn't succeeded partly because scientifically ignorant fools like you convinced the world that it's harmful!"

"I knew at a certain point you would resort to name-calling," she replies. "But it doesn't change the science on this."

Sadly, in some countries, people listen to advocates like her and believe that Americans want to poison them. One group of GMO fearful protesters invaded a golden rice field in the Philippines, ripping up all the plants.

Thousands will die or go blind, needlessly, because the organic cult spreads misinformation.

At least educated skeptics now understand that they were wrong about GMOs.

The New York Times points out that many "quietly walked back their opposition" to GMOs. "The science is clear," says a former opponent in The Wall Street Journal. "They're perfectly safe."

The Philippines recently approved golden rice.

But the hardcore zealots will never be convinced.

Baden-Mayer claims GMOs cause cancer.

"We're using more GMOs than ever," I point out. "There's less cancer now. Life spans keep increasing."

"Compared to when, 100 years ago?" she scoffs.

Absolutely, yes. We live about 25 years longer than Americans did 100 years ago. Even compared to 10 or 20 years ago, we live longer.

The National Academy of Sciences calls GMOs safe. So do the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA.

But no amount of science will convince people like Baden-Mayer. "The GMO issue just has not been investigated enough," she says.

Organic promoters are wrong on the costs and wrong on the science.

Sadly, they've won the battle of public opinion.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: gmo; organicfood
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To: CaptainPhilFan

You need to be careful of what you read…if you don’t go to primary research documents you get predigested pablum peddled by people with an agenda. I stopped reading your swill at “Monsanto is an evil company.”


21 posted on 05/11/2022 5:21:53 AM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Organic means there are no chemicals that assist the plant in its growth.

Yes, there are chemicals in organic food. Plants require them to live and grow. They just come from different places.

22 posted on 05/11/2022 5:23:43 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("God is a spirit, and man His means of walking on the earth.")
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To: catnipman

Hmmm, might have to try that. Have always used best foods. Like mayo on lots of sandwiches and cook with it too.


23 posted on 05/11/2022 6:25:05 AM PDT by refermech
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To: Kaslin
It's important we do not conflate organic with "farm-raised".

Getting food directly from the farm is the best way to get fresh, healthy food. They may use pesticides and such (and many do) but I don't care. Every Saturday morning from about June to October, I cruise the local farm stands getting fresh berries, peppers, corn on cob, squash, beans, etc. I get my eggs from these roadside stands as well.

24 posted on 05/11/2022 6:30:01 AM PDT by SamAdams76 (2.68 million active users on Truth Social)
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To: Kaslin

“Toad stools are organic.”


25 posted on 05/11/2022 6:31:55 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: hinckley buzzard

That’s about where I got off the bus, too.


26 posted on 05/11/2022 6:36:39 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Did you know that “Whole Foods” is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rat Party Headquarters?
27 posted on 05/11/2022 6:46:03 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Covid Is All About Mail In Ballots)
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To: hinckley buzzard

Monsanto is no longer in existence anymore


28 posted on 05/11/2022 6:48:31 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: Gay State Conservative

“Did you know that “Whole Foods” is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rat Party Headquarters?”

I don’t shop there nor will I.


29 posted on 05/11/2022 8:24:34 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz ("Todays conspiracy theory is tomorrows spoiler alert." )
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To: Kaslin

Free range chicken eggs packed with energy $7 for organic eggs.

Larry’s Farm
Three Mile Island
Free shipping


30 posted on 05/11/2022 9:02:40 AM PDT by Vaduz ( )
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To: Kaslin

Organic products have come a long way since the days of bug infested veggies they started out producing. Lots of rules about organic farming with some good farming practices.

Organic farming was supposed to be cheaper, but now the cost is far more than most people can afford.


31 posted on 05/11/2022 9:11:23 AM PDT by CodeToad (Arm up! They Have!)
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To: Vaduz

Why pay $7 a dozen for eggs when so many people sell them for $1 at local farms?


32 posted on 05/11/2022 9:13:30 AM PDT by CodeToad (Arm up! They Have!)
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To: refermech
and if you like "fry sauce", combine 50% avocado mayo with 50% primal kitchen unsweetened ketchup (walmart has best price):


33 posted on 05/11/2022 9:13:47 AM PDT by catnipman (In a post-covid world, ALL "science" is now political science: stolen elections have consequences)
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To: Kaslin

Processed is processed.
Cook from scratch, brown bag it, tupperware it. Quit eating out of restaurants and cans. Portion control works.

Going hungry every now and again wouldn’t hurt you know...


34 posted on 05/11/2022 9:20:03 AM PDT by Clutch Martin (The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, bust that the lightning ain't distributed right.)
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To: CaptainPhilFan

soy mayos are essentially tasteless, whereas avocado mayo has a slight nutty flavor, so he might not like it if he’s used to mayo being 100% tasteless ...


35 posted on 05/11/2022 9:23:19 AM PDT by catnipman (In a post-covid world, ALL "science" is now political science: stolen elections have consequences)
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To: CodeToad

But there not energy packed

Three mile island was where a nuclear reactor melted down

PUN


36 posted on 05/11/2022 9:29:27 AM PDT by Vaduz ( )
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To: Cboldt

If food isn’t organic then it isn’t food.🤔


37 posted on 05/11/2022 9:50:29 AM PDT by BiteYourSelf ( Earth first we'll strip mine the other planets later.)
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To: Kaslin
Organic, clean eating, weapons of war, ... (to name but a few) all terms the looney lefties have hijacked for their twisted purposes.

The definition of "organic" pretty much has been standardized since the early 19th Century when Friedrich Wöhler associated it with all carbon-bearing compounds. We are carbon-based life forms, our lives depend on the carbon cycle and it is impossible for us to derive nutrition from any compounds that are not carbon-bearing. So in that context, everything that's nutritious also is "organic," regardless how it was grown, raised, produced, or processed. Even Twinkies (yum!) are organic.


The rest is pure obfuscation.

38 posted on 05/11/2022 10:32:09 AM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: hinckley buzzard

Good for you! I read everything when I’m looking for answers, even if I think it might be disagreeable. Changing my mind or opinion is something I never fear. I find parts of the Bible disagreeable :D but it sure has all the answers I need.

Facts are facts; it’s one’s perception that changes, aye?

If you like Monsanto, I’m sure they appreciate your business. I should have said “*I* believe Monsanto to be an evil company”. I apologize for my error.

Have a nice day.


39 posted on 05/11/2022 12:25:07 PM PDT by CaptainPhilFan ( )
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To: TexasFreeper2009

Nearly all modern fruits and vegetables were bred for size, bug resistance, and appearance at the cost of nutrition.

................................................

And taste.


40 posted on 05/12/2022 2:50:35 AM PDT by Graybeard58
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