Monthly Archives: April 2007

“Verbal Engineering” – How to Mislead Consumers about Biotechnology

Terry Etherton

The battle for public perception about “biotechnology in the barnyard” and animal agriculture is an interesting illustration of the use of “word play” or “verbal engineering” by anti-biotech activist groups. The intent? To misinform and scare consumers about biotechnology, science and our food production systems.

These “word sequences” are carefully engineered. The internet is awash in them!

Given the proliferation of junk science rhetoric on the internet, it seems like there is big business in scaring consumers. Continue reading “Verbal Engineering” – How to Mislead Consumers about Biotechnology

Organic Foods – IFT’s Latest Scientific Status Summary

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has conducted a review that comprehensively compares organic and conventional foods with respect to pesticide residues, nutritional components, naturally occurring toxins, and microbiological safety. A synopsis (copied with Permission) was published in the October issue (Volume 60:44, 2006) of Food Technology. The full-text of the peer-reviewed Science Status Summary was published in the Journal of Food Science (Volume 71:R117-R124, 2006). Continue reading Organic Foods – IFT’s Latest Scientific Status Summary

Ben & Jerry’s Embraces GM Ice Cream Protein?

Terry Etherton

According to an article published in FoodNaviator.com, Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, one of the most visible anti-biotechnology ice cream makers in the United States, has moved closer to gaining approval in Europe to use an ice-structuring protein (ISP) isolated from genetically modified yeast. Continue reading Ben & Jerry’s Embraces GM Ice Cream Protein?

Public is Misled by Opponents of Biotech – What Else is New?

The following was excerpted from the April 11, 2007 issue of The Biotech Advantage.

Dr. A. M. “Tony” Shelton, who is a Professor of Entomology at Cornell University and a visiting scientist at Lincoln University, recently wrote an opinion piece in The Press (Christchurch, New Zealand) that the debate on biotech crops is misleading New Zealand’s public.

This article is a great example of the ongoing misinformation campaigns run by opponents of biotech crops in New Zealand, and throughout the World. Continue reading Public is Misled by Opponents of Biotech – What Else is New?

More on ABC News Report on rbST

Terry Etherton

There has been more response to the ABC News report on rbST that ran on April 12,2007. I had posted my initial response to the story in my Blog, “Got Any Idea What’s in Milk?” The focus of that that blog was to point out that the story was slanted and did not present the facts about rbST in an accurate manner!

Mr. Jon Wheeler, a dairy producer from Sunnyside, WA has shared his perspectives about the ABC report on Dairy-L. I believe it presents important issues for the dairy industry to consider, and I have posted it (with Mr. Wheeler’s permission). Continue reading More on ABC News Report on rbST

PodCast: Jumping at the Tiger Stripes and Petting the Tiger: A Roundtable Discussion With Terry Etherton and Phil Senger

In this podcast, Dr. Terry Etherton and Dr. Phil Senger, discuss the spirit of teaching – within the educational community as well as within the public sphere.

This podcast follows a seminar given by Dr. Senger on April 12, 2007. A link to a video of this seminar will be posted when it is available.

Listen to this PodCastListen to this podcast

For iTunes UsersListen to this podcast at iTunes U

Got Any Idea What’s in Milk?

Terry Etherton

ABCNews.com presented a story on ABC World News Tonight on April 12, 2007 – the topic was Got Any Idea What’s in Milk? Miguel Marquez was the reporter.

Guess what? The story was slanted in an anti-science and anti-scientist manner. Some viewers who watched might conclude, “must be something wrong with conventional milk”. As readers of Terry Etherton Blog on Biotechnology know, all milk is the same – irrespective of whether is conventional, rbST-free or organic. The only difference within a fat class (i.e., skim, 2% or full-fat) is the price! Continue reading Got Any Idea What’s in Milk?

Investors Challenge Dean Foods on Organic Supply

Terry Etherton

Wow, talk about double standards.

I haved posted an article below that pertains to an uproar created by Dean Foods.

Dean Foods was one of the driving forces in the propaganda campaign to create the rbST-free milk product line. I have written about this smoke and mirrors campaign in previous blogs.

Dean Foods has been quite willing to tell producers and suppliers how they should produce rbST-free milk. Now, however, according to the article published in just-food.com, Dean’s doesn’t like being told how to procure organic milk. This is an interesting read…more corporate social responsibility tossed under the bus! Continue reading Investors Challenge Dean Foods on Organic Supply

Federal Agencies Advised of Misleading Milk Labels and Advertising

More than 500 interested parties join Monsanto to ask FDA and FTC to focus on companies that use deceptive milk labels and ads

ST LOUIS (April 3, 2007) – Monsanto Company announced today that letters from more than 500 concerned individuals and Monsanto have been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requesting action to stop deceptive milk labeling and advertising. The two letters outline how certain milk labels and promotions that differentiate milk based on farmer use of POSILAC bovine somatotropin (bST) are misleading to consumers and do not meet the standards set by laws and regulations for either the Federal Trade Commission or the Food and Drug Administration. Continue reading Federal Agencies Advised of Misleading Milk Labels and Advertising

Letter to the Editor about rbST – Fresno, California

Terry Etherton

This blog is different from those previously posted on my Blog.

The first part of this Blog is a Letter to the Editor from Mr. Douglas Van Beek, a progressive dairy producer in California. The letter expresses his concern about the decision made by California Dairies, Inc. (CDI) to begin a ban on rbST. As readers of my Blogs appreciate, there is compelling and overwhelming science-based evidence that the use of rbST is safe, and milk from cows supplemented with rbST is the same as rbST-free or organic milk with respect to nutrient content, wholesomeness and the presence of many protein and steroid hormones that are naturally present in milk. Continue reading Letter to the Editor about rbST – Fresno, California