It may seem a bit ironic that Jeffrey M. Smith lives in Iowa, surrounded by genetically modified soybeans and corn - the very things he's spent years fighting against.
As author of the bestselling book on genetically modified food, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating, Smith has meticulously documented the effects of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on our health, along with how biotech companies have misled leaders into thinking this issue isn't a big deal.
"Jeffrey Smith is the leading world expert in the understanding and communication of the health issues surrounding genetically modified foods, " says Candace Pert, former Chief of the Section at the National Institutes of Health.
Changing the Global Course of Events For a long time, not many people listened. Smith ran for a seat in Iowa's Congress in 1998 and received less than 1 percent of the vote. Seeds of Deception in 2003 gained attention, however, and Smith followed it up in 2007 with Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, which links GMOs to 65 health dangers, from allergic reactions to infertility.
In the foreword, Michael Meacher, former environment minister in the UK, wrote this:
"This is the authentic book on genetic modification that the world has been waiting for. €¦ The case presented is absolutely a smoking shotgun that should stop in its tracks any dabbling with GM foods, whether by individual families, food companies, or indeed nations. Jeffrey Smith is one of the great campaigners of our age, a relentless pursuer of the truth, a fearless advocate in the corporate world of secret influence, and a ceaseless promoter of the public interest across the world. He is the modern David against the GM Goliath. This book may well provide the sling-shot to change the global course of events this century. "
On a Crusade Now the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, Smith works to
educate policy makers, businesses, media, and consumers alike about the dangers inherent with genetically modified foods, as well as the issues with research, regulation, and reporting that surround the industry. The institute's Non-GMO Shopping Guide is a great resource for those concerned about what they're eating.
Smith has been quoted in such publications as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nature, and Time magazine. He's made appearances on NPR, Fox News, the BBC, and The Dr. Oz Show.
"Every quarter of our precious world is calling to us, " Smith wrote in an article on The Huffington Post. "So many threats to our planet, to our food, to our life. Countless species teetering. Future generations line up outside our door to see if we will answer. "
Jeffrey Smith is answering. How many will join him?