Coalition For Safe Affordable Food

Social Media Trends

September 6, 2016

Overview
1. News Spreads That Reporter Eats First Meal Made Using CRISPR Technology
2. Pro-GMO Activists Share Study Showing Consumers Choose Organic Due To The
Label, Not Taste
3. GM Mustard Gets Closer To Being Approved In India
4. New Study Highlighting The Importance Of Pesticides In Farming Continues To Trend
5. Pro-GMO Activists Call For Non-GMO Food To Have A Disclaimer
6. Daily Dose Of Reason

Trends

1. News Spreads That Reporter Eats First Meal Made Using CRISPR Technology
Articles from
Nanowerk News and
U
mea University are being shared by GMO activists. The
main story is that food created with CRISPR technology was successfully grown, harvested, and
served to a radio reporter by a professor of plant cell biology at Umea University. The two
articles have been mentioned on social media 550 times.
C. S. Prakash @AgBioWorld
Eat that skeptics - World's first #CRISPR meal!
http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/biotech/newsid=44440.php

16 Retweets 18 Likes

Mark Lynas @mark_lynas

Swedish researcher serves world's first CRISPR meal:
http://www.teknat.umu.se/english/about-the-faculty/news/newsdetailpage/umea-researcher-serv
ed-a-world-first-crispr-meal.cid272955 CRISPRy cabbage with pasta...

44 Retweets 50 Likes
PRRI @PublicResearch
world first (?) #CRISPR meal: in future #science can better provide healthier & hardier plants
http://bit.ly/2c08h1g
3 Retweets 1 Like
2. Pro-GMO Activists Share Study Showing Consumers Choose Organic Due To The
Label, Not Taste
News.com.au is reporting that in a study where consumers were given tomatoes with organic
labels and conventional tomatoes, consumers picked the organically labeled tomoato, even
though it was really a conventionally grown one that was mislabeled. Other studies have
similarly found that putting an organic label over food, even if its not organic, can make people
think it tastes better. The article has been mentioned 890 times on social media, mostly by
pro-GMO activists.
We Love GV @welovegv
People think organic tomatoes taste better, even when they are really conventional and just
mislabeled.

18 Retweets 18 Likes
Val Giddings @prometheusgreen
Retweeted WE Love GV @welovegv
People think organic tomatoes taste better, even when they are really conventional and just
mislabeled.

18 Retweets 18 Likes
Mattie @PrincessMattie1
'There's really not a lot of difference between organic & conventionally grown fruit & veg' Except
price.

3 Likes

3. GM Mustard Is Closer To Being Approved In India

Bloomberg Markets is continuing to report on the GM mustard that is on its way to approval in
India. GM mustard would be the first food crop in India to be approved for commercial
production.The article has 15 mentions on social media.
C. S. Prakash @AgBioWorld
Indias First GM Food Crop Inches Closer to State Approval - Mustard

1 Retweet 2 Likes
Prasenjit Pawar @PrasenjitPawar
Indias First GM Food Crop Inches Closer to State Approval http://bloom.bg/2ccoS75 via
@markets

Megan Durisin @megandurisin

India's first GM food crop -- mustard -- inches closer to state approval:

1
Retweet

4. New Study Highlighting The Importance Of Pesticides In Farming Continues To Trend

An article from Food Insights is still being shared for highlighting how necessary pesticides and
insecticides are for keeping crops, and thus the overall economy, healthy. The article has been
shared 960 times since its posting a month ago.
FoodInsight.org @FoodInsight
A study by @COPACOGECA found that no crop protection means increased food prices & less
yield - http://bit.ly/2asCUBu #ag #agriculture

5 Retweets

Richard Phillips @richardnyo

1 Retweet
David Vandewalle @vandewallefarm
What Happens When You Stop Using Crop Protection

3 Retweets 2 Likes

5. Pro-GMO Activists Call For Non-GMO Food To Have A Disclaimer

Pro-GMO activists are sharing a petition that is asking for a disclaimer to be added to non-GMO
food that highlights the fact that it is not any healthier than GMO-labeled foods. While its a
satirical petition, it has gained 266 signatures in the past day, and 37 mentions on social media.
We Love GV @welovegv
Petition the White House: Require food with Non-GMO labels to add a disclaimer
https://wh.gov/iL6nK
6 Retweets 11 Likes
Mark Lynas @mark_lynas
Retweeted We Love GV @welovegv

Petition the White House: Require food with Non-GMO labels to add a disclaimer
https://wh.gov/iL6nK
6 Retweets 11 Likes
Starlette Lily @StarletteLily
Require food with Non-GMO labels to add a disclaimer https://wh.gov/iL6nK Attention gimmick
to make a point, sign it!
1 Like

6. Daily Dose Of Reason

Andy Schaul @AndySchaul
How much does the non-#GMO stamp contribute to the price difference when there isn't any
#GMO wheat on the market? pic.twitter.com/BO8wtecdWf

33 Retweets 39 Likes