The Issue

A recent shift in consumer values shows the rising craze for natural foods. According to recent global health reports, 80% of North Americans would spend more to purchase natural foods (Nielsen, 2015). A call for archetypical wholesome farmers and their natural crops has created a wave of health awareness that has swept developed countries and engulfed reliable food options. Genetically modified (GM) crops, defined as organisms with recombinant DNA technology (Bawa & Anilakumar, 2013), have succumbed to this mindset. Groceries have nourished and thrived off of these beliefs sporting “non-GMO and organic” products at higher prices (Kalaitzandonakes, Lusk, & Magnier, 2018). This abhorrence of GM crops is due to a lack of science literacy regarding the safety and efficacy of GM crops. A lack of understanding of genetics and genetic modification, inequitable GM health risks grounded in pseudoscience and false contraindications of GM applications have served to erroneously educate the public on the dangers of GM crops.