People concerned about GM foods are particularly skeptical of information from food industry
The food industry is big business – and many Americans cast a skeptical eye toward the information it provides to the public about genetically modified (GM) foods.
It's hard to know exactly why people with deep concern about GM foods are skeptical of food industry leaders. Nearly seven-in-ten of this group (68%) say they follow news reports about GM foods very or somewhat closely. Industry groups have long supported food and health research, but their role in that research has sometimes raised questions about the independence of the research and whether such studies tend to favor the industry.
Americans who care a great deal about the issue of GM foods are also particularly likely to think the industry influences research on GM foods. Half (50%) of those who care a great deal about this issue say researchers' desire to help the industries they work with, or for, influences research on GM foods most of the time. By comparison, 22% of people who care not too much or not at all about the issue of GM food say the desire of researchers to help their industries influences research findings most of the time.
There are more modest differences between those deeply concerned and those less concerned on how often scientists' desire to advance their careers or scientists' own political leanings influence research findings on GM foods. But both groups are equally likely to say that the best available evidence or concern for the public interest influences research findings most of the time.
Regardless of degree of concern about the issue of GM foods, more Americans say that scientists should play a major role in policy decisions on GM foods than say the same about food industry leaders (60% vs. 42%). Some 57% of Americans think the general public should have a major say in policies related to GM foods as well.
