For related articles and information, please visit OCA’s Genetic Engineering page, Millions Against Monsanto page and our Health Issues page.

Forbes Magazine is known for its lists of the wealthiest people and companies.  Frequently they use their influence to slyly support their big dollar buddies in the biotech industry.

Forbes successfully plumbed a new depth with an attack on Consumer Reports magazine last week.

Consumer Reports did an article ranking different milk substitutes for its readers.  In that report, they (gasp) referred to the inclusion of GMOs as a “con” in their review on soy milk.  


This caused Forbes Magazine to release the hounds in defense of genetically modified foods everywhere.

The hound in this case was Jon Entine.  Entine, a pro-GMO activist, was very distressed by this report.  I know this because he said so, repeatedly, ranting his way through an entire article about how CR has let him down with their complete ignorance about science.

“Which makes it all the more distressing that this once venerable institution-in-a-magazine has driven off the science cliff in obeisance to the current hysteria-yes, we are listening Neil deGrasse Tyson-over genetically modified foods

But the most egregious CR development is its unexplained dissing of GMO soy milk. Upwards of 94% of the US soy crop is GMO so it’s no surprise that your favorite edamame or your morning glass of soy milk is made from soy beans designed to be grown with fewer insecticides (Bt soy) or less toxic herbicides (herbicide resistant soy). In its “Cons” section, CR encourages consumers to “Look for brands with the USDA organic seal or the non-GMO verified label.”

But why? It never explains, and based on CR’s stated intention to rely on evidence to form its judgments, it’s violating its own guidance. After all, there is not one published study that suggests that GM soy products are any less nutritious than alternatives; nor are they, or any approved GMO food, harmful in any way. In fact, it’s well established that organic products, including soy milk, are more likely to have a higher risk of pathogen contamination.”

Just to recap here: Entine is upset that CR is letting consumers know that the ingredients in soy milk are most likely GMO. He seems to disregard the fact that if consumers are concerned about GMOs in their diets, this is legitimately, a “con” and is important information for those of us who wish to identify and avoid GMOs. If the consumer doesn’t care about GMOs, he or she is unlikely to take this warning to heart and will blithely guzzle down the negatively-reviewed product.

Entine wants you to know that GMO soy is actually better for you, also – you know, because they use less insecticide and herbicide when growing it. (I must have missed the “science” that says that these plants are sprayed less – and also that if they are, that less chemicals are better than no chemicals – I hope someone can send me a link to those reports.  Please and thank you.)  As well, Entine takes a moment to point out the organic products are worse for you than GMOs (he must have forgotten to put in the evidence of this “well-established fact” because that link goes no where.)  It’s important to note that all of Entine’s “science” links back to his own site, pompously called the Genetic Literacy Project. Because the rest of us are you know illiterate. His theories are remarkably similar to the propaganda and the lies that the biotech industry epsouses.