Genetically modified food

There was an interesting article in the New York Times by Andrew Pollack entitled "In Lean Times, Biotech Grains Are Less Taboo" which discusses progress in convincing people to produce and eat foods made using GM (genetically modified) plants. It informs us that:

Soaring food prices and global grain shortages are bringing new pressures on governments, food companies and consumers to relax their longstanding resistance to genetically engineered crops.

...

Even in Europe, where opposition to what the Europeans call Frankenfoods has been fiercest, some prominent government officials and business executives are calling for faster approvals of imports of genetically modified crops. They are responding in part to complaints from livestock producers, who say they might suffer a critical shortage of feed if imports are not accelerated.

I hate to see people be convinced of an argument by having their arms severely twisted, but it is interesting to see how quickly some false arguments fall apart when reality intrudes into the discussion.

-- Jack Krupansky