Title: An examination of millennials' attitudes toward genetically modified organism (GMO) foods: is it Franken-food or super-food?

Authors: Stefan Linnhoff; Elena Volovich; Hannah Michelle Martin; L. Murphy Smith

Addresses: Department of Marketing, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071-3314, USA ' Department of Marketing, Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071-3314, USA ' Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA ' Department of Accounting, Finance & Business Law, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5808, USA

Abstract: This study reports on a survey of Millennials in the USA regarding GMO foods. Potential benefits of GMO food crops include improving agricultural productivity, such as insect-resistant and drought-resistant crops, and alleviating world hunger, particularly in developing countries. Scientific research fully supports the health and safety of GMO foods. However, opponents to GMO foods still exist, some motivated by economic self-interest and others by fear of science and technology. The debate over GMO foods is widely considered the single-biggest issue facing modern agriculture, characterised as a clash between pro-science and anti-science forces, the outcome having ramifications extending far beyond agriculture and GMOs. To effectively market GMO foods to Millennials and others, agricultural producers, distributors, and food retailers will need to educate consumers about the overwhelming scientific support for the health benefits and safety of GMO foods.

Keywords: GMO; genetically modified organism; genetically engineered foods; millennials.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2017.088403

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2017 Vol.13 No.4, pp.371 - 390

Received: 14 Feb 2017
Accepted: 15 Sep 2017
Published online: 05 Dec 2017 *

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