This article was downloaded by: [Seton Hall University] On: 03 April 2015, At: 20:48 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/kgmc20
An issue on GM and consumers a
Vivian Moses a
Division of Nutritional Sciences; King’s College; London, UK Published online: 26 Nov 2013.
To cite this article: Vivian Moses (2013) An issue on GM and consumers, GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain, 4:3, 121-121, DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.27348 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.27348
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Versions of published Taylor & Francis and Routledge Open articles and Taylor & Francis and Routledge Open Select articles posted to institutional or subject repositories or any other third-party website are without warranty from Taylor & Francis of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. Any opinions and views expressed in this article are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions It is essential that you check the license status of any given Open and Open Select article to confirm conditions of access and use.
Editorial Introduction
Editorial Introduction
GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain 4:3, 121; July–December 2013; © 2013 Landes Bioscience
An issue on GM and consumers Vivian Moses
Downloaded by [Seton Hall University] at 20:48 03 April 2015
Division of Nutritional Sciences; King’s College; London, UK
All technologies are ultimately directed toward consumers: they are not simply sciences but the application of scientific knowledge and understanding to generate goods and services for sale (in one way or another) to willing customers. The term “consumer” with respect to GM-technology does not necessarily mean the men and women in the street, shoppers in the food stores. They may well be unaware of the involvement of particular technologies in the goods on offer to them, technologies which are addressed primarily to manufacturers, processors, producers, traders, distributors, and retailers, and hence contribute out of sight and out of mind to the final products which consumers buy. Beginning with scientific innovation stimulated both by curiosity and by perceived commercial opportunity, discovery proceeds through proof of concept to development, manufacture, and marketing. In the case of GM crops and foods there are the further complications of meeting regulatory requirements and, perhaps, of countering antagonistic publicity and propaganda. In any event, the products of GM are ultimately intended for consumers be they people purchasing their own food supplies or farmers providing feed for their animals. The role of consumers is vital for the success of any GM initiative: if they will not buy, or are prevented from buying, the technology, or a part of it, will fail in the marketplace and be abandoned.
Continuing the practice of GM Crops and Food to address in due course all aspects of the technology, we are devoting this issue largely to consumer considerations: what consumers think, what they do with respect to GM products on offer, and a view of some of the factors which might influence their decision-making. Farmers are both providers and consumers: their activities may be influenced by policies and practices addressing questions of the co-existence of farming in which some farmers use GM-seeds while others choose (or are forced) not to do so. Finally, we give consideration to the concept and practices of “GM-free” food and what that means both for suppliers and consumers. The complexities of modern agriculture and food production increase continually. GM is one of the most recent factors to play an important role in food and fiber production, one which has, of course, rather uniquely given rise to a worldwide discussion on its desirability. That dialog is characterized in many of its aspects rather more by heat than by light. Therefore, from time to time, specific issues of GM Crops and Food will be examining individual aspects of this important development in modern agriculture so that we may better understand the breadth of its influence as well as the benefits (and some of the problems) to which it has already given rise and will do more and more as the future unfolds.
Correspondence to: Vivian Moses; Email: [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.27348
www.landesbioscience.com
GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain 121
GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/kgmc20
An issue on GM and consumers a
Vivian Moses a
Division of Nutritional Sciences; King’s College; London, UK Published online: 26 Nov 2013.
To cite this article: Vivian Moses (2013) An issue on GM and consumers, GM Crops & Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain, 4:3, 121-121, DOI: 10.4161/gmcr.27348 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.27348
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Versions of published Taylor & Francis and Routledge Open articles and Taylor & Francis and Routledge Open Select articles posted to institutional or subject repositories or any other third-party website are without warranty from Taylor & Francis of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. Any opinions and views expressed in this article are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions It is essential that you check the license status of any given Open and Open Select article to confirm conditions of access and use.
Editorial Introduction
Editorial Introduction
GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain 4:3, 121; July–December 2013; © 2013 Landes Bioscience
An issue on GM and consumers Vivian Moses
Downloaded by [Seton Hall University] at 20:48 03 April 2015
Division of Nutritional Sciences; King’s College; London, UK
All technologies are ultimately directed toward consumers: they are not simply sciences but the application of scientific knowledge and understanding to generate goods and services for sale (in one way or another) to willing customers. The term “consumer” with respect to GM-technology does not necessarily mean the men and women in the street, shoppers in the food stores. They may well be unaware of the involvement of particular technologies in the goods on offer to them, technologies which are addressed primarily to manufacturers, processors, producers, traders, distributors, and retailers, and hence contribute out of sight and out of mind to the final products which consumers buy. Beginning with scientific innovation stimulated both by curiosity and by perceived commercial opportunity, discovery proceeds through proof of concept to development, manufacture, and marketing. In the case of GM crops and foods there are the further complications of meeting regulatory requirements and, perhaps, of countering antagonistic publicity and propaganda. In any event, the products of GM are ultimately intended for consumers be they people purchasing their own food supplies or farmers providing feed for their animals. The role of consumers is vital for the success of any GM initiative: if they will not buy, or are prevented from buying, the technology, or a part of it, will fail in the marketplace and be abandoned.
Continuing the practice of GM Crops and Food to address in due course all aspects of the technology, we are devoting this issue largely to consumer considerations: what consumers think, what they do with respect to GM products on offer, and a view of some of the factors which might influence their decision-making. Farmers are both providers and consumers: their activities may be influenced by policies and practices addressing questions of the co-existence of farming in which some farmers use GM-seeds while others choose (or are forced) not to do so. Finally, we give consideration to the concept and practices of “GM-free” food and what that means both for suppliers and consumers. The complexities of modern agriculture and food production increase continually. GM is one of the most recent factors to play an important role in food and fiber production, one which has, of course, rather uniquely given rise to a worldwide discussion on its desirability. That dialog is characterized in many of its aspects rather more by heat than by light. Therefore, from time to time, specific issues of GM Crops and Food will be examining individual aspects of this important development in modern agriculture so that we may better understand the breadth of its influence as well as the benefits (and some of the problems) to which it has already given rise and will do more and more as the future unfolds.
Correspondence to: Vivian Moses; Email: [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/gmcr.27348
www.landesbioscience.com
GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain 121
