GMO

=THE GMO Debate=

Background
This summer, the House of Representatives voted to ban the explicit labeling of GM foods. The Senate is currently considering a similar proposal. If approved, the bill would then be presented to President Obama to sign into law.

The Question
__Should the federal government ban the labeling of GM foods?__

Issues to Consider
1. __Health Effects__ (Do GM foods pose more health benefits or risks?) 2. __Environmental Impacts__ (Do GM crops help or harm the environment?) 3. __Effects on Farmers__ (Do GM crops help or hurt small farmers?) 4. __GM Foods: Natural vs. Unnatural__ (Is there a significant difference between selective breeding and GM technology?) 5. __Intentions of Big Ag__ (Are big agricultural companies such as Monsanto-- the leading producer of GM crops -- interested in humanitarian goals or their bottom line?) 6. __Regulation__ (Are GM crops sufficiently tested and regulated?) 7. __Right to Know__ (How should the truths about GMOs be weighed against the public's right to know whether or not a food was produced with GM technology?)

Suggested Articles/Resources:
Five Key Findings on what Americans and Scientists Think About Science (Pew, 1/29/15) Are GMOs safe? Yes. The case against them is full of fraud, lies, and errors (Slate, 7/15/15) Fears, Not Facts, Support GMO-free food (NY Times, 6/8/15) GMO common ground: Where supporters and opponents agree (Washington Post, 11/12/13) Harvest of Fear - Should We Grow GM Crops? (PBS, 2001)

Find additional articles and resources? Send the link to Mr. Hammer and he'll add them to the list!