Burying the Lead
It was simply tough times and difficult choices. A little more than a week before the 2016 United States presidential election, the New York Times ran this story that rocked a number of people.
Because of its timing, however, the story was lost in the controversy of that contentious election. In journalistic terms, it is called “Burying the Lead.” All eyes were on Trump versus Clinton. There was little fanfare about a topic that was so critical to everyday lives. Nevertheless, the overarching theme of the piece written by Danny Hakim on OCT. 29, 2016 resonates with everyone in this country and around the globe on a daily basis.
There are good guys and bad guys, and the source of the evil can almost always be traced back to one overriding factor—money. The story that was mostly lost because of the news cycle is straightforward. The NY Times piece tackles the longstanding myth that large corporate agri-business has tried to sell for decades. Chiefly, genetic modification here in the US and in Canada really hasn’t aided crop production nor helped to decrease the use of chemical pesticides sprayed and applied to plants. It turns out, the opposite is true.
GMOs Don’t Actually Increase Food Production
Here in North America, we went in one direction while in Europe they went the other. In Europe, the use of genetic modification was largely dismissed and repudiated. Hence, there was little enthusiasm for GMOs. Europeans passed on the engineering and many in this country embraced the technology. Now, two decades later, the unbiased independent scientific data and academic research have reached some compelling and shocking results. The Times article lays out the facts in what reads somewhat like a science fiction detective story. And yes, there is a villain.
It is incumbent on all of us to stay well informed. It is for the good of the Republic, our future, our families, and for our health. So if you get a chance, take the time and read the New York Times article.
Several hundred years ago, a gentleman farmer from Virginia wrote, “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” Thomas Jefferson. Little has changed and knowledge remains power.
John Gregg is a former writer, reporter, anchor, and senior producer for NBC, ESPN, & PBS and the winner of four Emmys for his reporting.
