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Rance Seibold

Professor Diana Watkins

TR 10:30

3 November 2016

Behind Corporate Media

In what ways are controversial subjects affected by mass media? Many topics that spark

argument or stubborn opinions are often portrayed in ways that can be easily misunderstood.

This unintentional slandering by media can confuse people and give them the wrong ideas about

whatever is being discussed. Almost all topics that are even somewhat controversial are affected,

but being an agricultural student at one of the nations best agricultural schools I see it often in the

Genetically Modified Organism debate. Why do people fear GMOs? People who have not been

very well educated into the subject and only see and hear what the media displays form negative

opinions and shy away from products containing GMOs.

According to DeVuyst, et al, Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are plants or

animals with DNA altered using one of a variety of genetic engineering methods (par 1). GMOs

were brought to the commercial scene to increase resistance to diseases, insects, and drought all

while increasing yield and the quality of the crops (DeVuyst, et al. par 2).

From an agricultural and economical standpoint, GMOs make total sense. Producing

more food for an ever-expanding population is a necessity for the future of this world. There is

some opposition to products made with GMOs. However, according to DeVuyst, et al, testing by

the FDA and many other organizations has proved that food products from these organisms are

safe for human consumption without any long term health troubles (par 3). These benefits should

continue to keep GMOs in use in the future.

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With the numerous benefits GMOs have for agriculture, producing them often comes at a

premium to the farmer (DeVuyst, et al. par 11). The authors claim that farmers are willing to pay

a higher price for seed to produce crops that can better the environment by reducing the amount

of pesticides used (DeVuyst, et al. par 6). Why would a farmer pay more for seed if it was bad

for peoples health and wouldnt sell at market? The science continues to back GMOs and if they

continue to show benefits for the environment and the agricultural industry, they will be here to

stay.

Despite the many exposed truths of GMOs, Jon Entine states that one falsehood behind

them is that food produced with GMOs kill pigs, cows, and sheep on farms and in lab studies

(par 1). The author states that there is much evidence proving this claim is false (Entine par 12).

This further provides evidence towards the uneducated opposition. Entine goes on to mention

that even with more than 2,000 studies showing no harmful effects on humans or animals that

people still have questions about GMOs (par 3). He closes with saying In order to maintain the

position that GMOs are not adequately tested, or that they are harmful or risky, you have to

either highly selectively cherry pick a few outliers of low scientific quality, or you have to

simply deny the science (21). People that continue to oppose GMOs without looking at the

scientific facts exemplify an intense level of ignorance.

Genetically Modified Organisms have not always been under fire says Jayson Lusk in his

interview with Roberto A. Ferdman of the Washington Post (par 5). Lusk, an Agriculture

Economist at Oklahoma State University states that GMOs did not have the opposition they do

today until sellers of many natural foods and organic products brought them to everyones

attention (Ferdman par 6). The appearance of products that do not contain GMOs notifying

consumers of products on the market containing GMOs, supports the fact that people are often
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uneducated on topics. The commercial food business sees an opportunity to make money in a

new market, and offers alternative options to the normal food sold in stores. This in turn has an

effect on uneducated consumers, causing them to associate GMOs as harmful without knowing

the truth.

The common supermarket shopper is somewhat aware of what they are purchasing. If all

of the shoppers were well educated into the GMO controversy and knew the facts, there probably

wouldnt be much of a debate. Much like the State Questions on the ballot this November,

citizens are swayed by the media and people who dont know entirely what they are talking

about. To provide a specific example, Barry Switzers commercial on Oklahoma based radio to

vote NO on SQ777 is a perfect example. The media is a platform for prominent public voices (in

this case a very famous Oklahoma football coach) to be heard by and influence the uneducated

masses. Ignorance is a huge factor in controversial opinions, and the GMO debate just so

happens to have the ignorant challengers who create websites much like the one Entine discussed

(par 2 and 5). The ability for people to post whatever they want on the Internet hinders the

consumers ability to obtain solid information on the subject at hand. For that reason, GMOs will

remain a topic of discussion.

Consumers continued fear of GMOs relates to the way the title sounds mentions Lusk

(Ferdman par 9). When consumers hear Genetically Modified Organism they think it has been

altered in a way to diminish its natural state and affects on the human body (Ferdman par 9).

With good reason, due in part to artificial sweeteners and preservatives that even I try to keep

away from. But with todays technology, scientists are modifying organisms for simple but

important reasons that will only benefit the organisms and the people producing them. For

instance, there have been antifreeze genes taken from cold-water fish and put into tomatoes to
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resist freezing temperatures (Lallanilla par 4). This benefits farmers in cold weather regions

because they can now grow tomatoes year-round or later into the season.

Not every piece of produce found in store is modified. Lallanilla says by far the

biggest use of GMO technology is used in large-scale agricultural crops: At least 90 percent of

the soy, cotton, canola, corn and sugar beets sold in the United States have been genetically

engineered (par 7). With the use of GMOs mainly going to mass produced crops, most products

bought by consumers arent even affected.

Consumers need to research and learn the truths about GMOs. It cant all be done by the

consumer though. The agricultural industry needs to advocate and share its knowledge with the

public. Working as a cycle, the farmer feeds the consumer and the consumer supports the farmer.

Together they work in harmony, and in turn, they perish without each other.

Which ever side people stand on is there opinion. With the amount of testing that goes

into the organisms and food derived from those organisms, they are proven safe. But, it is the

consumers choice of what they want to buy and what they want to put in their bodies. GMOs

may be beneficial in many ways, but there will always be opposition to things that arent natural.

Issues like GMOs and where people stand will always be affected by the media. Whatever is

portrayed on the news or online is taken in by the uneducated. Research is a necessity when it

comes to any controversial topic. To fully understand the topic at hand one must look at both

sides of the issue and work to become knowledgeable about the issue in its entirety.
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Works Cited

DeVuyst, Eric A, Jayson Lusk, and Cheryl S. DeVuyst. Eleven things to know about GMOs.

dasnr.okstate.edu,

http://dasnr22.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-9993/AGEC-1059.pdf

Accessed October 31, 2016.

Entine, Jon. The debate about GMO safety is over, thanks to a new trillion meal study. Forbes,

17 Sept. 2014, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonentine/2014/09/17/the-debate-about-gmo-

safety-is-over-thanks-to-a-new-trillion-meal-study/#11b97bbbca93. Accessed November

2, 2016.

Ferdman, Roberto A. Why were so scared of GMOs according to someone who has studied

them since the start. Washington Post, 16 July, 2016,

www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/07/06/why-people-are-so-scared-of-

gmos-according-to-someone-who-has-studied-the-fear-since-the-start/ . Accessed

October 31, 2016.

Lallanilla, Marc. GMOs: Facts About Genetically Modified Food. livescience.com,

http://www.livescience.com/40895-gmo-facts.html Accessed November 1, 2016.

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