Originally published October 28, 2013 at 8:55 PM | Page modified October 28, 2013 at 11:03 PM

Charles P. Max Moehs is a principal scientist with Arcadia Biosciences in Seattle, where he uses both genetic engineering and conventional breeding to develop low-gluten grains and crops with increased stress tolerance.

Q: Why do you oppose labeling of genetically engineered foods?

A: Genetic engineering is a technology, not a trait. The National Academy of Sciences and other scientific bodies throughout the world have argued that the important thing about crops is what they contain, not how theyre generated.

If a food is unsafe, its not labeled; its taken off the market.

When you make soybean oil from soybeans genetically engineered to be resistant to an insect or herbicide, the oil doesnt contain any genetically engineered components. To add a label that says May contain genetically engineered ingredients is misleading and not really helpful to consumers.

Q: What do you worry might happen if GE foods are labeled?

A: I think it demonizes technology that has potential for a lot of benefits.

I also think it will require producers to segregate their genetically engineered and non-GE products ... and create an additional burden for them. Imagine trying to clean a combine of every last seed. If a farmer has both genetically engineered crops and non-GE crops, they would almost have to run two separate operations.

And it strikes me as an invitation to frivolous lawsuits.

Original post:
CON on I-522: GE researcher fears ‘demonization’ of a technology with many potential benefits

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