18.8 Evaluating New Information

An Internet search for food and agriculture topics brings up a plethora of often conflicting information as well as the names of many organizations with very different agendas. But understanding how to evaluate the validity of the information is necessary in order to make informed decisions about what agricultural system you want to support and the type of food you want available as a consumer.

Consider the question of biotechnology. Is genetically engineered food safe? Is it the way forward in agriculture? The Council for Biotechnology Information says yes, while the Union of Concerned Scientists says no.

Explore the websites for the Council for Biotechnology Information (www.whybiotech.com) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org).

Evaluate the websites and work with the information to answer the following questions: