In the annals of consumerism, there has never been anything quite like the revolt against genetically engineered food. American agriculture has embraced genetic engineering with unprecedented speed. Twenty five percent of corn and 40 percent of soybeans were genetically altered. And since soy is used in 60 percent or more of all processed foods and corn constitutes 70 percent of all chicken feed, a majority of the products on American supermarket shelves may soon contain genetically modified components. While genetically modified crops have all but taken over American agriculture, organic foods have been capturing an ever-larger share of the retail market.
Organic foods are the fastest growing segment of the American food industry.
At the time organic farmers were few and far between and genetically modified crops did not exist. In December 1997 the USDA finally issued organic standards. It recommended that genetically engineered crops be considered natural foods. Consumers of organic products went berserk. Almost 300,000 comments were received by the USDA on the proposed standards.