“Just the facts, Ma’m.”

Yesterday I heard in the news that the ‘No’ campaign for Washington State Initiative 522 now holds the record for funding of any ballot measure ever in our state.  Ever.  Two years ago the record was set by opponents of the liquor sales privatization initiative but the measure passed anyway.  In a little more than a month we’ll see what happens on 522.

I’m not quite sure what all the fuss is about.  The initiative has to do with requiring labels on genetically engineered foods.  I fail to see why that is a bad thing.  With all the hype these days concerning transparency-in-everything, one more bit of information about what we’re eating doesn’t seem all that big a deal.

Besides, if the anti-labeling people are worried that disclosing which foods are genetically engineered will hurt sales, they should take a look around them.  Labeling packaged foods with the number of calories doesn’t seem to have slowed down sales of whatever is causing the supersizing of America.  But at least consumers can be informed when they buy. Or maybe there is another reason that United Grocers and other interested parties have contributed $17.2 million to the Vote No campaign.

National Science Foundation Photo

Meanwhile… just a day or two ago, someone was telling me about genetically altered goats that are producing spider web material in their milk. It seems that researchers from the University of Wyoming have now developed a way to incorporate spiders’ web-spinning genes into goats, allowing  the harvesting of the spider silk protein from the goats’ milk in far greater quantities than from the itsy bitsy spinners, themselves.

Apparently, there could be many applications for spider silk if only there were a large enough supply.  For instance, due to its strength and elasticity, spider silk fiber could have several medical uses, such as for making artificial ligaments and tendons, for eye sutures, and for jaw repair. The silk could also have applications in bulletproof vests and improved car airbags.

I’m all for those kinds of advances in science.  But it does put a whole new spin (so to speak) on chevre.  And now the plan is to incorporate the silk genes into alfalfa plants, which scientists say could produce even larger quantities of silk.  Who knew?  And therein lies the problem…