The Public Good Value of Information from Agribusinesses on Genetically Modified Foods

Some people hail using biotechnology to create genetically modified (GM) food products as a major revolution in product innovation.Some, however, do not view these products favorably.International environmental groups like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have become the main antagonists against the use of genetic engineering for developing new products.Through press releases, websites, and protests, these environmental groups publicize their views on GM foods and how these products affect consumers and producers.They demonstrate and disseminate information, with the goal of affecting consumer (and possibly producer) behavior.Greenpeace, for example, argues that the unknown effects of using GM products could be disastrous to the environment and human health, that multinational agribusiness companies control genetic modification, and that GM foods pose a risk of allergens spreading to food products other than those that normally carry allergens (Greenpeace International 2001a,b,c; Friends of the Earth).