Are you are entitled to know whether or not your food is genetically modified? Three quarters of state legislators in Massachusetts think that you are – and have signed onto a bill that could make GMO labeling mandatory in Massachusetts. This bill, however, isn’t the right approach. While knowledge is good, misinformation is bad. If you care about science, the environment, or the world’s ability to feed itself in the future, you need to be part of this conversation. Given the extreme importance of the issue, take the time get involved to make a difference.

The subject of genetically modified foods is complex, and both sides of the labeling debate present valid arguments. Take, for instance the topic of safety. On the one hand, the American Association for Advancement of Science, the American Medical Association, and the World Health Organization have concluded that GMOs pose no known risks for human consumption. On the other hand, advocacy groups like the Environmental Working Group argue there may be unidentified risks to transplanting the genes of one organism into another. Another argument is environmental concerns. Proponents of GMOs argue that crops like insect-resistant Bt corn and herbicide-resistant Roundup Ready soybeans have increased crop yields (reducing the need to expand land for agriculture), and reduced spraying of toxic herbicides and pesticides. However, there are environmental reasons to be wary of GMOs too; recent research shows that pests are developing resistance to these insect-resistant crops, rendering them no more productive and environmentally beneficial than their conventional counterparts.

A simple label denoting, “contains GMOs,” would fail to convey such information. A label reduces the question of GMOs to a mere binary, suggesting there are only two options: GMOs and GMO free. While it’s certainly crucial to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of GMOs and take this into consideration when food shopping, a label hardly provides the information needed—it would require significant background knowledge to make an informed choice.

In addition to being potentially misleading, there are other drawbacks to changing labels. Labels are expensive. A recent study at Cornell University analyzed the potential costs of labeling products containing GMOs in the state of New York. The study catalogued the costs of the physical act of labeling, warehousing, stocking, and tracking the products in supermarkets, and predicted that labeling GMOs would cost the average family of four $500 per year in increased food expenses.

Labeling GMOs is also difficult to implement. Proposed laws require labeling foods at grocery stores—this entirely ignores restaurants and cafeterias. Drawing the line between a supermarket, and say, a store that sells both prepared and made-to-order food would be a logistical nightmare. GMO labeling schemes also create problems when they are enacted state-by-state; food producers would be forced to follow separate standards for each state they send products to—ultimately increasing the price of food for the consumer.

It is important to acknowledge, however, the benefits of a labeling scheme. Labeling products containing GMOs would provide consumers the information to make their own choice. It’s possible that labels might generate questions and promote education about GMOs. Labels could also facilitate trade with countries where foods containing GMOs are unaccepted. It seems more likely, however, that a label may just further confuse consumers about GMOs—suggesting that the government or the scientific community have adjudicated them as unsafe. Public distrust is the last thing we need to fuel right now, as it hinders the conversation on the benefits of GMOs and distracts us from addressing the real dangers in our food – substances that, unlike GMOs, have been scientifically proven as harmful – such as antibiotics, pesticides, and excess sugar.

Here are a few ways you can get involved, and help Massachusetts see past the issue of labeling:

• Read the labels that are already on your food. Are there added sugars? Is it antibiotic free? Ask yourself what information influences your purchasing decisions, and how might GMOs fit into that picture?
• Write to, call, or email your local Senator and ask that the complex issue of GMOs not be reduced to a simple yes or no label. Reach out to these 44 Massachusetts legislators, as they have yet to make a decision on the bill.
• Explore alternative options. Check out your local farmers’ market and ask farmers about their growing practices. If, after weighing the pros and cons, you decide to avoid GMOs, purchase USDA organic which promises no genetically modified ingredients.
• Don’t fuel the fight. It’s exciting that state legislators are acting on food issues and thinking critically about GMOs. Let’s make sure, however, that the people who represent us are concentrating on the right questions and debating the appropriate solutions. Let’s examine GMOs with scientific rigor and give the conversation the time and thought that it deserves.