Biofortified pulls ahead in the race and our competitors cry “industry fixing”

Posted by Pamela Ronald on October 26, 2009
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An update from Karl Haro von Mogel:
“A little more than an hour after PZ’s post, GM Watch in the UK has wildly claimed that the ‘biotech industry’ is fixing the contest!”

“The level of conspiracy theorizing reaches astronomical proportions at a moment’s notice. Please keep voting, so they won’t have the chance to use such falsehoods to attack us.”

FYI: Biofortified is a completely independent venture started by two graduate students. It is independently run on a volunteer basis, and is not supported by any funding from any companies.

I work at a non-profit institution and the only thing I sell is my book (hey, maybe I will sell a couple more copies after all this!). Full disclosure: Fifteen years ago a few of my students were funded by industry grants for their graduate work. As for now, all my research is funded by non-profit institutions.

The only thing that Karl shills for are beeswax candles and honey that he gets from his bees.

Vote now, the competition ends in two days.

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Comments

  1. #1 James Sweet
    October 27, 2009

    Oh come on now, we all know you are a tool of Big Non-Profit.

  2. #2 Pam
    October 26, 2009

    Thanks for the clarification Karl
    GM watch is Indeed a different organization from the non-GMO project

    The nonGMO group needs to distance themselves from the false accusations on the GE watch site or their name is mud

  3. #3 Karl Haro von Mogel
    October 26, 2009

    Thanks for posting on this, Pam. Ack, I’ll have to finish the candle website now that you’ve linked to it!

    I just wanted to make it clear that our competitors, the Non-GMO Project, have not made the claims of competition-fixing, and have been supportive of our objection to GM Watch’s claims. GM Watch is not in the competition at all, but are an onlooker.

    What I think this really tells us is the quality of GM Watch’s research tendencies. How many other claims in their “news” are made up as well? I know I read claims in their feed that say things like that there is widespread uproar over some issue somewhere. Uproar where? No reference.

  4. #4 Pam Ronald
    October 26, 2009

    that is exactly it.

  5. #5 James
    October 26, 2009

    Thanks, I’ll keep an eye open for one in the bay area!

    @David

    It’s depressing that some of these people are so irrational about the subject they can’t imagine any reason for others to disagree besides being payed off by Monsanto.

  6. #6 Pam Ronald
    October 26, 2009

    Hi James

    We do still sometimes gives talks and do book signings.

    I hope to meet you sometime.

  7. #7 David Hooks
    October 26, 2009

    Well that’s the conspiracy mindset at work, although I would be interested to see how they link PZ to Monsanto. On the other hand, it must be infuriating to have a bunch of people vote for a blog they probably had never even heard of.

  8. #8 James
    October 26, 2009

    Speaking of your book, do you still do talks about Tomorrow’s Table or book-signings?