WASHINTTON POST, TIME, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, LA TIMES - ALL PROPAGANDA EXTENSIONS OF MONSANTO

June 27, 2015 by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) Long time readers of Natural News likely knew it was coming: As much as we and our audience applauded the recent decision by chain restaurant Chipotle to scrub all GMO foods and ingredients from its menus, you just knew that the decision would be criticized, and by the usual mainstream suspects.

Even though the chain is far from the largest in the country, it is possible to gauge the impact of the decision by the relentless criticism that the chain has been forced to endure -- as if this were the first time a business made a decision to cater to a certain kind of customer.

As noted by Independent Science News (ISN), Chipotle has come under fire as being irrational, anti-science and irresponsible from the likes of The Washington Post, The Motley Fool, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and other legacy media, all of which depend on big advertising dollars from GMO king Monsanto, agri-business interests and every eatery that serves GMO foods.

Here is the Post what had to say:

In nevertheless validating the panic that has led to limits or bans on GMOs in developing nations, Chipotle says "we decided to remove the few GMOs in our food so that our customers who choose to avoid them can enjoy eating at Chipotle." In other words, the anti-GMO lobby has scared people, and burritos can be sold by pandering to these fears. Alas, the company's marketing instinct, in this respect, is unerring....

"Fearmongering" and "crass profit-seeking"

The paper noted that Chipotle was not the only restaurant, but added condescendingly that "no one should confuse any of these companies' behavior with real corporate responsibility," only fear-mongering.

For it's part, The Motley Fool also reacted right away with condescension. Writer Maxx Chatsko says:

Some time ago, I wrote about the need for investors to adopt scientifically responsible investing practices. Apparently, Chipotle Mexican Grill never read it.

Or maybe Chipotle's CEO did read it, Maxx, but just thought you were full of it.

The Chicago Tribune praised the chain's desire to use "healthy food" but bashed it over its decision to cut GMO ingredients:

What troubles us is that Chipotle has embraced the fearmongering of some food, environmental and health activists who have turned "GMO" into a dirty word. By declaring its goal to eliminate GMO food from its kitchens, Chipotle may be pleasing its health-conscious guacamole fans, but it is missing an opportunity to educate them on the nuances of food science.

"Fearmongering."

Not to be outdone, the Los Angeles Times referenced "junk science" in the article's title, further opining:

Chipotle's announcement... that safety compelled it to remove all genetically modified organisms from its food is rooted either in ignorance or in crass profit-seeking at the expense of science. More than two decades of research indicate that GMOs are not only safe for humans and the environment, but also contribute to global sustainability and poverty alleviation.

"Crass profit-seeking." It makes you wonder if the writers of this piece understand that the LA Times is also interested in "crass profit-seeking," which they should support so they can keep their jobs.

Actually, Chipotle is more likely starting a trend

But as ISN observes, it is more likely that Chipotle is a) ahead of the curve; and b) on sound scientific ground:

The media lynching of Chipotle has an explanation that is important to the future of GMOs. The cause of it is that there has long been an incipient crack in the solid public front that the food industry has presented on the GMO issue. The crack originates from the fact that while agribusiness sees GMOs as central to their business future, the brand-oriented and customer-sensitive ends of the food supply chain do not.

Moreover, there is new GMO technology coming online, ISN says, that will most probably make crop biotechnology even less popular than it is becoming now.

In the end, Chipotle's decision will more likely reverberate through the food industry -- especially the makers of food ingredients -- than be seen as a one-and-done, simply because the company's execs have facts, science -- and now clientele -- uppermost in their minds.

Sources:

http://www.independentsciencenews.org

http://www.washingtonpost.com

http://time.com

http://www.chicagotribune.com

http://www.latimes.com