Chipotle Bans GMOs; Media Goes into Full Propaganda Damage Control

May 8, 2015

Last week, folks who are particular about what they eat rejoiced that there was finally a place that they could go get a taco without being exposed to genetically modified organisms. Chipotle, the popular Mexican fast food chain, announced that their menu would be free of GMOs.

In an immediate paroxysm of denial, the corporate-funded media immediately went about bashing Chipotle for the company’s decision to provide consumers with a GMO-free option to the Big Agri/Big Food offerings out there.

Here are a few headlines:

Anti-GMO Cleanup Needed on Aisle 4 (Wall Street Journal) Here’s the bio of the author of this article: Ms. Bailey is president and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

Chipotle’s flashy ban on GMOs is totally backfiring (Business Insider)

Chipotle’s Non-GMO Push Is Based on Bad Science (Eater)

GMO Purge Could Create the ‘Chipotle of’ Supply Chain Challenges for Restaurants (Forbes) FYI, Forbes is notorious for their support of GMO-producing big wigs.

Chipotle’s junk science on GMOs (LA Times) Here’s the bio of the author on this Op-Ed: David Zilberman is professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley. Zilberman served on a Monsanto scientific advisory board in 2012.

Now, wouldn’t you think that it’s simply good business to give the customer’s what they want? Apparently these particular outlets know that for them, good business is giving the advertisers what they want.

All of these manipulative cries of “OMG JUNK SCIENCE” are weak arguments in the face of the recent announcement by the World Health Organization that glyphosate, the primary herbicide used on genetically modified crops, “probably” causes cancer. In fact, many of the studies referenced in these articles are considered themselves to be scientifically fraudulent and deceptive.

Even the LA Times article admits that only 1/3 of Americans believe that GMOs are safe to eat. If that is the case, then shouldn’t Chipotle be lauded for the business decision of giving the customers what they want? Apparently not, as the op-ed laughably follows that statement with this accusation (Emphasis mine):

But in misrepresenting the science surrounding a poorly understood innovation, Chipotle joins the too-populous ranks of companies that endeavor to deceive the public. Chipotle stokes the anti-GMO hysteria that threatens to marginalize a field of science that already has demonstrated important benefits. These include boosting nutrient density of staple crops for the poor, enhancing crop resiliency to climatic extremes and equipping subsistence farmers in the developing world with cash crops.

Um, pot, this is kettle. I thought you should meet.

One has to pay attention when a sound business decision by any MBA school standard results in such a flurry of propagandized damage control. Personally, it all just makes me hungry for a non-GMO Chipotle taco.