Follow up on Organic Food and GMOs

Yesterday I posted a brief discussion about organic food and genetically modified crops, especially cotton. I've received responses (in comments and on Facebook) from several people expressing various ideas on the subject, which interests me very much.

To follow up, I've been collecting additional articles with varying points of view. There are many more! Here's my short list so far:

• 107 Nobel Laureates' recent letter "To the Leaders of Greenpeace, the United Nations and Governments around the world" supporting the use of GMOs, especially the issues surrounding Golden Rice.
• Washington Post article on the Nobel Laureates' letter, including a response from Greenpeace: "107 Nobel laureates sign letter blasting Greenpeace over GMOs"
• Vox article discussing Nobel Laureates' letter -- this article includes several links to discussions of the issues.
• Consumer Reports special report on pesticides in foods, "Eat the Peach, Not the Pesticide." Quote: "Experts at Consumer Reports believe that organic is always the best choice because it is better for your health, the environment, and the people who grow our food."
• Just on GMOs: "Top Five Myths Of Genetically Modified Seeds, Busted" -- challenges several commonly held negative beliefs about GMOs and especially on popular ideas about Monsanto's lawsuits.
• From the Washington Post: "Is organic better for your health? A look at milk, meat, eggs, produce and fish."

I plan to read more widely about these topics. There are so many different and overlapping issues. For example (as I wrote on Facebook yesterday), at the grocery store or market when you make just one decision -- which eggs to buy -- you have to consider the following:

1. Might the eggs have contamination like salmonella?
2. Might they include residue from antibiotics? From pesticides in chicken feed?
3. Are they produced in conditions of humane treatment of hens?
4. What about environmental issues? Are vast henhouses causing pollution in their neighborhood?
5. Do the producers employ humane treatment/fair pay for workers?
6. Truth in advertising for any claims on 1-5 !!

So complicated!

Goose eggs at a market featuring local Ann Arbor farmers' products.
For $3 each, you can really know every detail about these eggs.