I've been accused of being an "industry shill" over GMO's...

[Archae]

So what does this say?

http://www.farmonline.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/emails-expose-antigm-science-for-hire/2745598.aspx

"EXPOSURE of a private email trail has revealed one of WA organic farmer Steve Marsh's biggest backers sought to fund "scientific" research to present in a "strategic court room" as evidence of genetically modified (GM) crops being unsafe, to help demand a moratorium.

Emails obtained under a recent US-based Freedom of Information request show the proposal in an exchange between WA organic food entrepreneur Georg Kailis and US agricultural research professor Dr Charles "Chuck" Benbrook.

...

Dr Benbrook is credited with publishing a 2012 study suggesting GMs had caused increased pesticide use in crop production due to glyphosate resistant weeds but the research methodology was attacked by critics.

He has also been shown to have received funding from large organic businesses like Whole Foods to conduct research during his WSU post, highlighting the benefits of organic farming and foods but has denied any conflict of interest.

(Cross-posted from Skeptic)

[jeff47]

1. People need to remember "big food" is not only on one side of this battle.

And Organic is way more profitable per acre than non-GMO, non-organic due to the massive price premium.

The "tell" is the people leading the campaigns to label GMOs are fighting a lengthy regulatory battle to force GMOs to be labeled, instead of labeling their own crops "GMO Free" right now.

Nothing prevents them from setting up a "GMO-Free" certification body. It could even evolve into a government label like "Organic" did. But "Contains GMOs" is going to be a long, drawn-out battle and that's the only battle they are fighting.

[HickFromTheTick]

2. Ooooh, his methods were "attacked by critics"

It says that funding "science" is "bad" and implies that one side of the argument can't be trusted due to conflict of interest. Sort of leaves the Frankenfoodies twistin' in teh wind on their own rope, because as outright owners of all of the labs that produce pro-gmo propaganda they have lab-funding conflict of interest pretty much wrapped.
Illustrates greatly how sleazy they are, reading private email and such. Other that that, it says nothing of note.

"Wow, one anti-gmo guy said that it would be good to have scientific evidence to produce in an important court setting. How awful that is compared to soaking our food in even more poison." "And his methods were attacked by CRITICS!!!! CRIIIITICS!!!!"

[Major Nikon]

5. Sure, because there's only two sides to "science"

[pnwmom]

8. Thank you for giving this post the sarcasm it deserved.

And welcome to DU.

[Major Nikon]

15. Sure, because someone who channels Benbrook and simultaneously rails on corporate influence...

on food research is absolutely NOT a hypocrite.

[Shandris]

3. Well, I won't accuse anyone of being a shill, but...

...this doctor, whose name I've never heard before, suddenly has pro-threads on 4chan and anti-threads here, both on the same day, both over the same report.

But it's like totally coincidental, I'm sure. Just happenstance, means nothing.

I believe that.

No, seriously. Mhm. I do. Yup.

[Major Nikon]

4. Sure, that and 120,999 other places

http://www.google.com/search?q=Emails+expose+anti-GM+science+for+hire


Dr Benbrook is frequently channeled here as a legitimate source of information, BTW.

[Shandris]

9. Yes, I'm quite aware of how paid shills spread their info to multiple sites...

...but before you waste my time with your , you should at least have the integrity to note that your '121,000 entries' were not today (as I specifically called out in my post) and were bringing non-related entries by the second page...which means that about 40 or so of the '121,000' were actually this article.

Just a coincidence that you felt the need to 'discredit' my argument with your (misleading) numbers, just like those who are paid to post often do. Curious happenstances all over the place today! Maybe I should get a lottery ticket.

[Major Nikon]

11. Sure, everyone who pokes holes in your sieve MUST be on someone's payroll

And yes, you are exactly correct. They must not be from today because even though the original piece was published today. Obviously the "paid shills" have been working on this for weeks.

One really can't argue with that kind of logic.

[Shandris]

18. Switches to mockery like a (predictable, paid) champ.

Really though, as much fun as it is to play the same game over and over, I do have to take a pass. You've gotten enough of my time and won't be getting any more of it.

Ever.

Buhbye now.

[Major Nikon]

20. Whole Foods paid shills always fold when challenged

[Rex]

6. If I had a dime for all the times I've watched posters get accused of shilling for XYZ

I'd be a billionaire! Usually 'shilling' is brought up after an army of sub-thread strawmen, but never before the Hitler/Nazi comparison.

[pnwmom]

7. So it's fine for Big Food to fund science research, but not organic farmers?

Organic farmers constitute a tiny fraction of the market. Good for them for fighting back.

[Archae]

10. But IS it research? Or more fakery by guys like Seralini?

[Major Nikon]

17. Jebus Fucking Christ on a pogo stick

Can't you see this is David and Goliath all over again, except it's more like Goliath and a smaller Goliath which makes it totally OK.

If you weren't on Monsanto's payroll this shit would be a whole lot easier. That way we could all just post skulls and crossbones and talk about toxic poisons and shit while singing Kumbayah, content in the knowledge that John Mackey has all our best interests at heart.

[Major Nikon]

12. Sure, because nothing says "Small Food" like Whole Foods

[pnwmom]

13. Someone has to stand up to Monsanto, Dupont, BASF, Bayer, Dow Chemical, and Sygenta.

Whole Foods is David to their Goliath.

[Major Nikon]

14. Sure, because they are doing it for all the right free market libertarian reasons

[Nye Bevan]

16. I'm so anti-GMO I refuse to eat seedless grapes (nt)

[nationalize the fed]

19. Food industry enlisted academics in GMO lobbying war, emails show

WASHINGTON - At Monsanto, sales of genetically modified seeds were steadily rising. But executives at the company’s St. Louis headquarters were privately worried about attacks on the safety of their products.

So Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, and its industry partners retooled their lobbying and public relations strategy to spotlight a rarefied group of advocates: academics, brought in for the gloss of impartiality and weight of authority that come with a professor’s pedigree.

“Professors/researchers/scientists have a big white hat in this debate and support in their states, from politicians to producers,” Bill Mashek, a vice president at Ketchum, a public relations firm hired by the biotechnology industry, said in an email to a University of Florida professor. “Keep it up!”

And the industry has.

Corporations have poured money into universities to fund research for decades, but now, the debate over bioengineered foods has escalated into a billion-dollar food industry war. Companies like Monsanto are squaring off against major organic firms like Stonyfield Farm, the yogurt company, and both sides have aggressively recruited academic researchers, emails obtained through open records laws show..

http://www.telegram.com/article/20150906/NEWS/150909451

also in NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/us/food-industry-enlisted-academics-in-gmo-lobbying-war-emails-show.html

[Major Nikon]

21. Wholey Shit! It's Goliath vs Goliath with John Mackey as David!

...or something like that.